Perfect Denial
by Katayanagi
Summary: Two sisters have to move from Canada all the way down to Florida. Can they adjust to thier new surroundings? Or will their surroundings have to adjust to them? Who will fall for who in this sequel to the award winning novel, and now movie, Hoot.
1. New Surroundings

**Chapter 1- Talya**

"Do you know where we're staying?" I asked my sister as I folded clothes into neat piles.

"I think with Auntie Martha and Uncle Ben in their house in Florida," she answered. My sister Skyler wasn't my real sister, and everyone could tell since we looked nothing alike.

Skyler had shoulder-length brown hair which she styled differently every day. She had hazel eyes and smiled constantly. Her fashion sense seemed to have her end up with a new wardrobe every season. She seemed really nice, but if you ever got on her bad side…well, it's not that pretty.

I, on the other hand, am nice all the time no matter what. Just kidding. I was a quiet girl who stuck to a few close friends and had problems letting people in, but when I've gotten mad I've left bruises. My blonde hair was 3 inches longer than Skyler's and my eyes were clear ocean blue. I was taller than Skyler by 2 inches and definitely skinnier. (Don't worry she's not fat, I'm just anorexic…looking.) I'm also 3 months older than her, but she's still had more boyfriends!

When I first met Skyler, I didn't think I'd like her at all.

* * *

"Oh God, I have to live here now!?" Skyler said as she walked through the door and threw her luggage on the ground. I looked at her and I couldn't believe who was standing in front of me.

This had to be my new step-sister? She was nothing like me; she looked like one of those girls that ALWAYS had to follow the newest trends, and always had to fit in with the 'cool' people and was always the girl who knew the school's juiciest gossip. I knew I couldn't live with her.

I knew my dad liked her mom and all, and her mom was nice, but why do I have to suffer with a girl like that? Couldn't he have just let me live with relatives?

"What's' wrong with here?" I snapped.

"Well, apparently your house is so small that we have to share a room."

"I'm not that thrilled about it either."

"Can't you just sleep on the couch or something?" I couldn't believe this girl. She was new to my house and she was asking me to sleep on the floor?

"This was my room first!"

"Whatever!" she said, then stomped out of the room. I bent down and unpacked her stuff. I slowly folded her shirts into my dresser and hung her skirts and pants in my closet. I was amazed that I could make it all fit.

* * *

"Lya, hurry up and get the stuff downstairs! We have to be at the airport in an hour," Sky called up the stairs.

"Just a minute!" I called down, even though I knew it would be more than just a minute. Sky has way too many clothes. Suddenly I heard a piercing scream from downstairs. I dropped the bag I was holding and raced down the stairs.

"What happened?" I asked breathlessly.

"No way!"

"What?"

"Tyler and Nikki just broke up! I thought they could make it." I groaned.

"Sky, do you really care? We're not gonna see these people again."

"Shut up! I'm in my moment of silence!" I waited a minute before speaking again.

"Are you ready to leave Edmonton behind? I'm sure there's juicer gossip where we're going anyway!"

"First of all, referring back to your earlier question, no, but I tried to break them up before so I could have him. I mean, he has those arms! But now I'm leaving when he's just gotten free! God, life sucks."

"Joint the club."

"Ooh, can I be president?"

"Remind me to switch hair colours on the plane." I went upstairs, picked up our bags, and brought them down to the car. I turned to dad and my step-mom.

"Why are we going again?" My step-mom smiled.

"Your auntie just had a miscarriage. We want to cheer them up by sending them some children to keep care of."

"You sound like you're giving us a way," Skyler said after she lifted her head from her phone since she was texting…again.

"Don't be silly! You love Ben and Martha!"

I pleaded to my dad. "They're not even my real aunt and uncle! Why do I have to go?"

"Sweetie, it's Florida. This is a dream come true for you."

"No, in my dream I went to Florida with my boyfriend and got away from my family!"

"What boyfriend?" snickered Sky. I glared at her. My boy problems were not supposed to be discussed in front of the parents.

"Don't become another Skyler, Talya! Don't get a new boyfriend everyday!" My step-mom called.

"Hey!"

"Let's just go." I reluctantly got into the taxi.

"Don't we have to switch hair colours?" Sky asked from her seat on the plane, which somehow was next to mine. Darn those parents. I don't hate her, she just talks too much.

"That was a joke."

"I don't get it."

"Whatever."

"No! Tell me," Sky whined.

"It doesn't matter."

"Okay, fine." Sky was quiet for only 2 seconds before she started talking again. New record. "I don't get why you wanted to go to Florida. It's all humid and you can barely breathe."

"Are you kidding me? Florida has beaches, wildlife, sharks, whales, marine studies in school!"

"Does it have boys?"

I rolled my eyes. "Yes, Sky, it has boys, Lots of tanned surfer boys."

"Good, because I care about your…uh…boyfriend issue." She replied with shifty eyes, although I knew she wanted a guy for herself. I had a bet going on with myself that she'll have dated every guy in that town by the end of the first month.


	2. In the Sky

**Chapter 2- Skyler**

Oh man I was so bored! Why did Lya always have to be so quiet? I mean sure we talked, but I guess I didn't have to spend this much time with her since I did have my group of friends. I always thought that the reason of why she was always so quiet around me was because of the first day we met.

I mean I didn't sound so bitchy; I just needed to start drama. I mean I was always watching people fight and getting in the middle of it and helping out, I just never had my own scenario.

"Blue…pink…or black…?" I asked into my phone as I stood in front of the mirror with three different outfits. Suddenly the door burst open and Lya walked in, her face stained with mascara streaks. I could tell she had been crying for a while.

"Oh, you're here!" She said in disgust and turned to walk back out of the room.

"No wait!" I yelled after her. "I'll have to call you later." I said into my phone. I threw it on the bed next to me and walked over to Lya.

"What's wrong?" I asked as I sat her down on her bed.

"None of your concern!" She snapped at me. I didn't know someone in tears could snap like that.

"Well I'm sick of being all 'oh-my-God-I-broke-a-nail-ugh!' all around you! I actually want to try to be your friend now. I mean we're gonna be living together for a really long time, until we get married or whatever, and I just don't want us to be all 'ew-it's-her!'"

"If you stop talking like that preppy and fast, then yeah, I'll tell you."

"I'm sorry, I still need help with that…" I said in my most 'un-preppy' way.

"Well you know my boyfriend?"

"Name???"

"Ayden Criustillées, well we've been dating for, like, two years."

"Ayden Criustillées? The popular nerd, in my math class? Him Ayden?" I interrupted.

"Yeah, him, anyway he promised a week ago that we'd go on a road trip across Canada in the summer, but instead he dumped me!" Lya burst into tears again.

"How did he do it?" I asked.

"He said I wasn't what he was looking for! I mean we've been together for two years! I mean he could have broken up with me 2 years ago if I wasn't 'what he was looking for'!"

"Do you have any idea why he would do it?" I asked, hoping she would so that I wouldn't have to tell her.

"No, I have no clue! He seemed so happy with me, and then…out of no where…we're done!"

"Um…ok I have a question. Would you rather hear a lie that will make you smile, or the truth that will make you cry?"

"The truth. Do you know why?" I didn't want to tell her, but I guess I had to, she deserved to know.

"First of all…DON'T KILL ME! Well we sort of…um…made out 2 moths ago and I told him that he wasn't really…my type, and if I had known he was with you I wouldn't have told him to go out with Crystal Peterson."

"CRYSTAL PETERSON!? That's who he cheated on me with? That girl has nailed every guy in the whole effing school!" She screamed.

"Well he said he was looking for….excitement… so you know… date the skank… it works! But if I had known he was with you, as much as I hated you, I still wouldn't have recommended her."

"Whatever, you didn't know…"

"He's a bastard for not wanting you, from what I see…when I'm not around…you're a really nice girl, and if he can't see that and stay with that…he's stupid! Whatever, at least you don't have to see him ever again, it's summer and we're going into high school in 2 months.

I smiled at the memory, who knew we would never see him again…and who knew I gave such great advice?

"What are you smiling at?" Lya asked as she looked up from her book. I read the cover…_Marine Wildlife in Florida and Area_…ooo intense…NOT!!

"Oh nothing…just thinking about how much you're going to love Florida and it's marine biology and stuff…"

"Nope, you're thinking about some hot surfer's abs, aren't you?"

"Well we haven't landed yet, so no!"

The electronic voice came over the com. "We will be landing in ten minutes in Florida, please fasten your seatbelts."

"Mooother!" I said, as I struggled with the buckle.

Lya leaned over, "Let me help you." She fastened it as if it was the easiest thing anyone could ever do…which it probably was, but that's beside the point.

"Aunt Martha! Uncle Ben!!!" I screamed as I embraced my relatives.

"We haven't seen you in ages!" My Aunt said joyfully. I looked over my shoulder at Lya who just stood there looking out of place.

"Auntie, Uncle, this is Talya." I said as I led my relatives to her.

"My, you're just as pretty as Hillary said in her letters!" Aunt Martha cooed over Lya.

"HELLO?!" I yelled over to my Aunt. I wanted to be in the spot light!!

"We have to make sure we have to get to Coconut Cove by 6 pm. Besides, tomorrow you will have to unpack your stuff and then get to school the next day."

"Is there only one high school?" I asked, hoping he would say no.

"Yep!"

"Oh God what happened to variety!"

"With boys?" Lya asked, trying hard not to laugh. I told her before how my Uncle was over protective of me and guys. He suddenly turned on his heels and looked at me.

"No silly, with learning!" I yelled, loud enough for my Uncle to hear. He turned around. "About boys!" I whispered under my breath to her.


	3. Lost

**Chapter 3- Talya**

"Now class, we have 2 new students." I stood nervously at the front of the room. I hated having all the attention focused on me. This time I actually wished Skyler to be in the spotlight. Yay, wishes do come true! "Now introduce yourselves. Don't be shy." At this, Skyler started laughing.

"I'm Skyler, and this is Talya, we come from Edmonton- that's in Canada, y'know? The country with all the ice- and we're gonna be here for a while!"

"Thank you. You can take your seat." The teacher turned to the class. "Now I want you to be nice and one person gets to show one of these girls around. Who'd like to show Skyler around?" All the guys raised their hands. Sometimes I hate how lucky she is.

"How 'bout… Roy?" I looked over at the guy the teacher had selected. He was tall, but maybe on the lanky side, with blue eyes that went against his brown hair. Skyler practically skipped over to him and sat next to him. Boy #1.

"And for Talya?" Only a few girls put their hands up. Damn.

"Okay, Beatrice." I went across the room to sit next to her. She was taller than me and wore red rimmed glasses. She looked very scary and I did not want to get on her bad side.

"Hey," she whispered.

"Uh, hi."

"Just follow me all day. No one's gonna bother you and you'll have a place to sit." I smiled gratefully. At least I wouldn't come home crying. Until lunch all the classes were extremely boring.

Beatrice led me to a table in the sun. I smiled as I sat next to her. "Is anyone else joining us?" As the words came out my lips, this guy I met earlier, I think his name was Garret, sat next to us.

"Hey Beatrice. Hey…uh…Tanya, right?"

"Um, no, it's Talya."

"Sorry, I'm Garret, in case you forgot." I'd gotten his name right. Dumbass. Wait, that's mean.

"Thanks," I smiled politely.

"Where's Roy?" asked Garret.

"He's showing that girl Skyler around," Beatrice answered.

"More like she's showing him around…her mouth," I muttered.

"What did you say?" questioned Beatrice.

"Nothing," I replied quickly.

"Hey there's Roy! Yo, over here!" Garret waved at Roy who was leading Skyler (by the hand) through the tables towards ours. Please, don't let her have been Skyler. Please, God, please.

They sat across from us. Roy smiled, but something seemed odd about Skyler. I pulled her aside.

"Why are you acting weird?"

"I'm not acting weird." Sky gave me a puzzling look.

"I thought by now you would've made him your boyfriend."

"I wanted things to be different and Roy's… different."

"Look at that, even you can fall in love."

"Shut up!" The siren buzzed.

"Well, there's your bus." Beatrice pointed the way.

"Aren't you coming?" I asked.

Beatrice cast a look at Roy. "We've got some stuff to do." They began to walk away. Sky hopped over to the bus. I moved to follow Beatrice and Roy.

"Where are you going?" asked Sky.

"I'm following them."

"Why?" I rolled my eyes and turned to Sky.

"Sweetie, what if they're going off because they like each other?" Sky's eyes went huge.

"Let's go." She grabbed my hand and we went silently behind them. I don't know if they noticed us, or maybe they were just careful, but Beatrice and Roy were taking a long twisting path to wherever they were going. Somehow we ended up in a forest. It was getting harder and harder to keep them in sight. All of a sudden we came to a fork in the road. Skyler looked over at me.

"You take left, I take right," she mouthed. I nodded and went on my way. I followed the barely visible path for what seemed like hours but according to my watch was only 11 minutes and 38 seconds until I reached the end.

Before me lay a gigantic mangrove forest. The ocean lapped up against the dirt of the banks. I sat at the edge. Figures that everywhere I go I end up at the ocean. I picked up a stick and began drawing designs in the water and humming.

"Da-dum. Da-dum. Da-dum, da-dum, da-dum, da-na-na-na-na!"

"What are you doing?" asked a low voice from behind me. I know this is going to sound weird, but I seriously thought this was my imagination.

"I'm singing danger music."

"Why?"

"I'm calling a shark to me with my danger music."

"Why?"

"'Cause I'm lost."

"I'll help you out." Next thing I know I felt a hand on my shoulder and the defensive moves kicked in. I elbowed behind me hard, twisted around and placed my foot on the person's neck. A boy my age looked up at me with complete surprise. He had bleached blond hair and grey eyes. He was wearing a white shirt and had no shoes on.

"I'm sorry," I apologized as I helped the guy up. Skyler was right; guys don't like me because I'm violent.

"It's alright," the guy answered as he got up, "I've never seen a girl fight like that."

"Um, it's only basic defense moves."

"Why would you know that?"

"I grew up in the murder city of Canada!"

"Okay…that explains why I don't know you." We stood for a moment in awkward silence.

"So, you were saying you were lost."

"Yeah, I just need to find my way back to town. I can find my way home after that."

"Okay then." The guy grabbed my fingers and led me through the trees. I couldn't see a path, but for some reason this guy's hand made me trust him.


	4. Found

**Chapter 4- Skyler**

"You go left, I'll go right." I mouthed to Lya as I quietly went on the path. I walked for a while and I didn't hear or see Roy or Beatrice. It had started getting dark, and not that I was afraid of that, but being in a forest all alone in the dark was something to be scared about.

After a while I decided to give up. I didn't see a point in going on anymore since I had lost sight of the 2 for a while now, and going on meant increased chances of me being lost…not that I already wasn't, but still.

I suddenly saw a light in the distance, and, from all the books that Lya reads about nature, I figured that it had to be a clearing. I started running faster until I came out of the forest. As soon as I did come out though, I wished I hadn't because of who was standing right in front of me.

"What are you doing here?" Beatrice asked with a toss of her long blonde hair. If I had been at the school longer I would have jumped on her and pulled her stupid hair out! Everyone knew better than to give me that hair toss attitude, except Lya…but let's not get into that. Actually, I would have pulled Beatrice's hair out, except Roy was standing right beside her, so I decided not to.

"What are you doing here?" I asked her.

"Stuff." She answered.

"Well…um…get off of my property!" I said after a pause.

"What?" Beatrice asked with a superior tone.

"I live here!" I snapped.

"It's a forest, and if you walk past this ONE row of trees it's a dock." Beatrice sounded beyond annoyed.

"Your point being?" I asked as I sat down on the grass as if it was the floor of my bedroom.

"That you don't live here." Roy just stood there…quietly…confused…

"You don't know that! You know what? You're just not accepting of where I live! Maybe some people are poor you know!" I said sobbing. Oh man, I loved my mom for making me take drama classes. Beatrice just rolled her eyes.

"Sky," Roy started but from a look from Beatrice he rephrased his sentence. "Skyler, um…you can't live here, because Beatrice lives right there." He said and pointed to a white large boat standing right in front of us.

"Oh…my bad…" I said quietly.

"Can we please tell her?" Roy turned to Beatrice. "Please, I really want to tell her. I mean, she should know why you live a boat. Besides, she's your new neighbour, apparently."

"NO!" Beatrice snapped. Oh joy, first day of school and I already have the most dangerous girl in school hating me…she's just jealous.

"Why not?"

"Just 'cause!" She snapped. I was starting to wonder if she knew how to talk without yelling or snapping.

"Please…" Roy pleaded.

"No, she's new and we don't know anything about her! What if she ruins everything for him! We can't trust her!"

"Hi, um… you do realize I'm standing right here!" I said.

"HEY GUYS!" I turned around and noticed a blond boy running out of the trees whose hand was somewhere behind…ok…holding …Lya!?!?!?!

"Where have you been? We were supposed to meet here an hour ago!" Beatrice snapped. So yes, that answers my question…she doesn't know how to speak properly.

"I was busy…" He said still holding onto Lya's hand. Oh, by the way she turns a very nice shade of red…hopefully that color comes in lipstick.

"With what? Her?" She asked.

"Oh snap!! I mean…um…I live here!" I said and probably turned red…hopefully not.

"No, not with her…oh God ew!!" He said with a disgusted look on his tanned face.

"Thanks!" Lya said sarcastically.

"No, not like that… I mean…I don't know what I mean…Oh man girls are confusing!" He whined.

"How about introductions?" Roy said trying to save his friend form utter humiliation… or flirtation?

"Sky this is Mulletfingers, and Lya." He said.

"What kind of a name is that?" Lya and I asked in unison.

"My name, thank you!" He said. I felt like screaming to him 'let go of her hand!!!!'

"So now can we tell her?" Roy begged again.

"NO!"

"Oh God, stop friggen snapping!" I yelled and Beatrice gave me her worst death glare. I gave her one right back.

"Ok well I was sent by my mother to military school, and after a couple of days I came back home. Well I didn't exactly go home, I came to live here…on this boat. No one, well other than you, Roy, Beatrice, and Skyler, knows I live here. That's why I can't be found out." He explained to Lya.

"NO I LIVE HERE!" I yelled out, and noticed Roy smile. But Beatrice gave him a glare and he immediately stopped.

"Maybe we should talk about this tomorrow, because my aunt and uncle are going to freak out if we're not home by 8." Lya said quietly. Does that girl even realize she's still holding his hand?!

"Who said?" I asked as I stood up from the grass.

"I just did!" Lya responded.

"It's only seven can't you guys stay a little longer?" Roy pleaded, and Mulletfingers agreed to the idea.

"No!!!" Beatrice shouted.

"Well I was going to say no, but seeing how Beatrice hates me and doesn't want me to stay…I'll stay."

"Skyler…" Lya said quietly. What was up with this girl? At first she's all ugh Skyler now she's all quiet! Ooh, maybe he should keep holding her hand…

"Yeah?"

"Please, I don't want your relatives to think I'm a bad influence or something."

"Oh honey, if anything I'm the bad influence. I mean if you weren't around me so much, you wouldn't still be holding his hand…" I said but then regretted what I said, since now I had three people on my back, Mulletfingers, Lya, and Beatrice.

Lya looked at her hand and dropped it quickly…oh man I want that shade of red in lipstick too.

"Whatever Lya, let's just go, I don't care who influenced who, I just don't want to get in trouble."

"No, please Lya, stay." Mulletfingers pleaded with her.

"See, now you WANT to and HAVE to stay." I said and sat back down, knowing that we weren't going to leave for a while…well at least I wasn't going to.

"Why are we sitting out here when we can be in the boat where it's warm?" Roy offered.

"Dating tip #17, always stay in the cold so then you can complain about the cold. Then the guy that you like will offer you his jacket, and so…yeah…" I recited the quote from my favorite book, _101 Tips on Dating_. I never get why it's always 101…

"Skyler, now is seriously not the time to say that seeing how now you're whole plan is ruined in getting Roy's jacket, because then he'll know you like him…" Lya said, as if pay back to me breaking up her little 'hand' moment.

"Damn it Lya! Mulletfingers can you PLEASE hold her hand again so she can be all shy and quiet, and then I can find more colors for my lipstick collection?"

"Let's just get inside!" Beatrice said, trying to sound calm.

We walked over to the boat and got in. For a boat it was pretty cozy and warm. "You all sleep here?" I asked as I eyed the one bed suspiciously.

"No, I have a home." Roy replied as he threw himself onto the bed.

"I sleep here sometimes…" Beatrice replied. For a moment I thought she had gotten over the whole 'hating me' phase, but she's just acting nice…Awwww…NOT!

"Where?" Lya asked as she sat on a chair beside a small table.

"BITCH FIGHT!!!" I screamed out.

"First of all on the ground, secondly, EWWWWW he's my step-brother!!" She said with a disgusted look.

"Well me and Lya are step-sisters, how do you know we don't have something going on???" I asked at which Roy burst out laughing.

"Oh God, oh God!!!" Lya whispered under her breath and then Mulletfingers started laughing too.

"Oh yeah, you people in Florida don't dig the whole lesbian joke thing…damn I need my Canadian homies!" I rolled my eyes and sat down beside Roy…not close, but farther away because SOMEONE had to ruin things for me…coughLyacough

"No, we like it, just the girls don't." Mulletfingers explained.

"OH GOD THERE'S A LIMIT TO JOKES!!!" I screamed.

"Who said he was joking?" Roy laughed.

"Shut up!" Beatrice, Lya, and I both yelled.

"I'm hungry!" Lya whined.

"Oh I have marshmallows and we can make a fire outside." Mulletfingers offered. We all stood up and walked outside and Roy started the fire. We all ate and talked, except Beatrice who sat glaring at me the whole time… I wonder why… could it be that I was sitting beside Roy?? YES! OH BURN!

I turned my eyes towards Mulletfingers and Lya and two disturbing things happened. I threw up a little in my mouth, and I got terrified of images forming in my mind. It was quite disturbing seeing how I have never seen her with a guy and I always thought she was shy…her actions said much differently.

He fed her a friggen marshmallow. Can I say EW? They've only known each other 2 hours, thirty minutes and 67 seconds… Oh wait no… what ever! See, I can't even think with all of those images…ugh…

I looked away and since no body was really saying anything since Mulletfingers and Lya were all into each other, and Beatrice was all into trying to kill me with her looks (God learn the line… if looks could kill… IF!) and Roy was doing something...who knows what… I decided to close my eyes since I was getting really tired.

I felt my head falling to my side and I didn't know Roy was sitting THAT close to me. It rested on his shoulder, and I was way too tired to even care what anyone thought. Roy didn't even move, which I was pretty grateful for since I was pretty comfortable.

I opened my eyes and saw Beatrice roll her eyes and mouth the words "Stop smiling" to him. YAY!!!! Suddenly Lya stood up as if she had seen a spider…oh and the scream was included in that.

"WE HAVE TO GET HOME! IT'S 11:39! WE ARE SO DEAD!" She screamed. I stood up quicker than I thought or imagined was possible seeing how I was on his shoulder and I was dead tired.

"WHAT!?" Roy yelled as he too got up. "Ok I am beyond dead! O I can see the light!!!" He said dramatically which sent me into a fit of laughter.

"THIS ISN'T FUNNY! LET'S GO!" Lya screamed. For a quiet girl she knew how to scream…I should take lessons. I need to be able to scream like that.

We said our good-byes (in less than a nanosecond) and raced out of there.


	5. Questions & Answers

**Chapter 5- Talya**

We tiptoed silently up the driveway. Skyler and I were so dead if we got caught.

"Do you have the keys to the house?" I whispered.

"Uh, yeah." We got to the front door. All the lights in the house were turned off. Skyler fumbled as she tried to find the right key in the dark. She slowly opened the door. I closed the door behind us and locked it as silently as I could. We turned around and Skyler stood motionlessly.

"What's wrong?" I whispered. Then I caught sight of Ben and Martha, sitting on chairs right in front of the door.

"Hello, ladies. Glad you could join us so early in the day," Ben said sternly.

"Ha ha, yeah we know, if you think it's too early we can always go outside and play for a while again." Skyler retorted, with her innocent tone.

"Cut it out, Skyler," Martha snapped. By her tone you could tell that she had been crying.

I felt a wave of guilt wash over me. I was a guest, a complete stranger, and I had disobeyed the one rule set for me. I bowed (uncommon but I read too much manga as a child), and apologized, "I'm sorry for the worry we've caused you."

"Do you have any idea what you did to Martha and me?" Ben demanded. He didn't wait for an answer. "Because of you, Martha thinks she's a horrible mother. Not only did you bring back the painful memory of the miscarriage, but she thought she'd lost both of you as well." Skyler burst into tears.

"I'm sorry Aunt Martha!" She ran to her aunt and embraced her as tightly as is humanly possible. Then she did the same to her uncle.

"It's alright. Just go to your room. We'll think up a punishment later."

"Good thing they don't know where we were." Skyler whispered to me as we turned.

"By the way girls, where were you?"

"Um, shopping," responded Skyler.

"At this hour? Where?"

"Um, at the marina," I answered.

"The marina?"

"Yeah, the marina?" asked Skyler suspiciously.

"We were looking for boats."

"Nice try girls. Better luck next time. You're grounded for 2 months," Martha stated.

"What?!" Skyler nearly fainted. I swear she's never been punished.

"Go to your room. The rules are that you come home from school immediately and no contact between you and your friends when you are at home," Ben explained.

We went grudgingly up the stairs to the room we had to share. As we entered the room Skyler threw herself on the bed.

"When did you get so emotional?" I questioned Sky.

"What, the crying? Oh, honey, I took drama- works every time!"

"I knew those tears were fake."

"So what's the deal with you and Mulletfingers?"

"There's nothing."

"Uh-huh. Explain marshmallow."

"He just fed it to me. What's so bad about that? People do it all the time."

"When they're in love! You've known him for like 2 hours!"

"What about you and Roy?"

"Don't change the subject. Those were disturbing images," Skyler said, making gagging noises.

"Yes, him feeding me a marshmallow brings up horrifying images."

"But you had your mouth on the marshmallow and his finger had some goop on it and he licked it!"

"Yes, very disturbing, Sky."

"Imagine if Roy and I had done that!"

"I wouldn't be surprised. You are a skank."

"Excuse me?"

"I'm sorry, Sky. It's just, we barely know these guys and we're already crushing on them! If anything I'm a skank too!"

"Let's make a deal. They probably think we're really easy so we have to act like we don't like them for a while and see how hard they try to get us."

"Deal. So what's with Beatrice, you and Roy?"

"Jealousy. She knows he wants me more than her."

"Do you think she likes him?"

"Duh."

"You know, their faces have been bugging me."

"Lya, that's mean!"

"No, I mean, I think I've seen them somewhere before."

"Really? Where?" Skyler said as she turned on her laptop.

"I don't know…maybe…" I leaned over behind Skyler and typed in an environmentalist website I would go to a lot in my free time. I went to events in Florida within the past year.

"Why are you going here?"

"I have a feeling I saw their picture on this website." I scrolled down the list. Finally I found it, the article on Coconut Cove. I scrolled down the article until I reached a picture. Standing in front of a bulldozer were three teens: Beatrice, Roy, and just at the edge of the frame, Mulletfingers.

"Wow. You go on this website? I thought you were looking at hot guys, Lya. I thought I'd cured you." I shot a death glare at Sky.

"Don't make me hit you."


	6. The Right One

**Chapter 6- Skyler**

A month had passed and I couldn't wait to get out of the house and hang out with my new friends. Of course I still talked to Roy and Garret a lot, but I had to keep the promise I made a month ago.

So far it hasn't been working perfectly. I try to avoid Roy and all…but it's hard seeing how he always comes to me. I feel really guilty because he probably thinks I'm mad at him or something.

I feel even worse for Lya. I mean at least I have school where I get to see him, but Lya, oh man, I feel horrible for her since she never sees her guy. The only way she can talk to him is through Beatrice, who doesn't seem to like the idea of him liking someone. God knows why, my goodness does she have a crush on him too??

"So are you coming tonight? I mean you never show up anymore." Roy asked right before I was about to get off of the bus.

"No." I said shortly and got off. I felt horrible for being like that, but I had to try REALLY hard!

"Don't worry; it's not you….oh wait…ok let me rephrase that, it's not something you did." Lya said as she followed me out of the bus.

"Why the hell do you act with him like that?" Lya demanded as she ran to catch up with me. "You don't even realize what you're doing. I'd give anything just to talk to Mulletfingers again."

"Well then you need to give me something." I said as I unlocked the front door.

"What?" Lya asked in confusion.

"Nothing…"

'Cloink' I opened my eyes at the sound. I could identify the noise perfectly. I heard it almost every night in Canada when guys would try to talk to me through my window.

"Skyler, someone's here to talk to you…again!" Lya groaned as she rolled over in her bed.

"You go get it, I don't want to." I whined. Actually I did want to, but I knew it wasn't for me. Lya got up and opened the window.

"Oh. My. God!!!!! Sky!!!" Lya practically screamed.

"Shut up or you'll wake everyone up and they'll know Mulletfingers is here!"

"How did you know it was him?"

"Well besides the fact that you basically screamed when you saw him, I sort of set you two up. So what are you giving me?"

"Nothing…" Lya turned back to the window after I threw a pillow at her. "Hi…" I knew she was blushing. I need to start my own lipstick store called…. Blushable!!

"Can I come up?" I heard him asked.

"HELL NO!" I shouted over to her.

"Hell no!" Lya conveyed the message.

"Is there any possible way you can say that nicer?" Mulletfingers asked.

"Skyler, did you hear that?"

"Yes."

"Ok, so is there?"

"NO!"

"NO!" Lya yelled back to him. "No, I mean…yes…I'm sorry but no you can't come up."

"Why?"

"My uncle will kill you, bring you back to life, and murder you again." Lya explained. Twenty minutes passed and Lya wouldn't shut up. She was becoming a mini-me!

"Lya!!!" Nothing…she didn't even hear me. Time to take drastic measures!

"Talya I can hear footsteps! Uncle Ben is coming; say goodnight to Romeo!" I said desperately.

"OHMYGOD! I have to go! Come by tomorrow." Lya shut the window and jumped in bed. It was silent for a while and then I could tell Lya was rolling her eyes.

"Uncle Ben was never coming up was he?"

"How many times are you going to fall for that?" I asked.

"A lot."

"Ok, then yes he was coming."

"Hey Sky, I just thought of the perfect thing to give you."

"What?" I sat up really quickly.

"You'll see."

The whole entire day I couldn't think of what Lya was going to get me. I didn't know if I was going to like it or not, since she has no idea what I like.

"Garret…" I whined. Me and him had become best friends, and we were always seen together, now that I had basically stopped talking to Roy.

"Yeah?"

"What do I like?" I asked as we walked to our next class.

"Cloths…makeup…money. Why?" He sat down next to me and opened his social book.

"Because, Talya wants to get me something and she doesn't even know what I like, so I'm just wondering what it could possibly be."

"Oh, I think I know."

"What?" I jumped out of my seat.

"A boy…" He said with a smirk.

"Oh really? And how would you know that?"

"Well what else could she get you that doesn't cost anything?"

"Oh, ouch." I sat back down and noticed Roy walking through the door. He looked at me and then at Garret who was smiling at me, and I could tell his heart completely sank.

"So, why are you mad at Roy again?" Garret asked as he too stared at Roy. He sat down at the back of the classroom, away from everyone. Beatrice walked over and sat down next to him. She started talking but he didn't reply, he just stared blankly.

"I'm not." I said defensively, still looking at him. Our eyes met and I quickly looked away. I turned and faced Garret again.

"That's not what he thinks. Look at him, he's all depressed and stuff."

"I made a promise, I have to stick to it."

"Oh, really, what's that?"

"Well Talya and I made a promise that we had to see if the guys we like really like us back. We decided to ignore them…well, make us 'hard to get', you know? And well I tried the 'extreme'… ignoring."

"Sky, you're breaking him."

"Me too, but I can't help it, I promised."

An hour passed and school was over. I headed to my bus with Garret. Before I got on I gave him a huge hug…in front of Roy. I felt horrible, I knew he liked me and all, and I still liked him but there was a part of me that liked someone else. Oh man, I just admitted that to myself. I couldn't like him…no, but there was a part of me that did and I couldn't help it.

"Garret wait," I called after him with an idea in my mind. I would see if he was really 'the one'. "Meet me outside my window at 5." He smiled and waved. I looked around and Roy wasn't there, thank God.

I got home and I was completely bored. Until it finally hit me, I had to see which one I actually liked. Suddenly I got nervous, I was going to get with Garret, see how it went, and then see how it would go with Roy.

"Skyler!" I looked out the window and Garret was standing right there. I found a way to get down to him.

"Hi."

"Hi, so I was wondering why you called me over here. I mean you are my best friend and all I just don't---" He stopped as I leaned in and kissed him. I pulled away and he stood there stunned.

"Um…"

"How do you feel?" I asked him. He just blinked a couple of times.

"I thought you liked Roy. What did _you _feel?"

"I'm not sure…it just felt…normal…"

"Yeah…not that it was bad or anything…I just didn't feel the whole tingling sensation thingy that everyone talks about."

"Ok good." I stated with a sigh of relief.

"What?" He asked stunned. It was as if he wanted me to be sad that I couldn't have him. Damn him.

"Well ok, I like Roy a lot, and then I liked you too, so I had to choose, who ever I get the whole 'tingling sensation' as you put it, well then I'll know that's the guy." I said in one breath.

"We're still best friends right? Right??" He asked with a freaked out tone in his voice.

"Of course, we'll just pretend like nothing happened ok?"

"Yeah for sure, you're a good kisser."

"Practice…it helps!" I laughed and embraced him. With that he left and I could finally think again. I thought about what Garret said about Lya bringing me a guy, and who else other than Roy? Hopefully Roy.

'Clink' I rolled over in bed. Great, another straight hour of Lya talking to Mulletfingers. Oh man, they didn't even talk about deep stuff, romantic stuff; it was like they were best friends. God, move on, get further, and make a move, my goodness!

"Sky, go get it." Lya ordered.

"Hey! I order people around in this house, not you."

"Ha-ha. Shut up." She threw a pillow at me. Damn I do that too. "Go get it, please???" She whined. "Please…please???" She kept on asking, I took out my iPod and turned the music up, so I wouldn't have to hear her whine anymore.

Suddenly she jumped on my bed and started jumping up and down.

"If I get it will you stop pissing me off?" I asked as I stood up.

"Yep!" She sounded so bubbly all of a sudden; what had gotten into her?

I opened the window and a rock came flying through it. "YO!" I screamed down at Mulletfingers after I ducked the rock. I picked it up and threw it right back at him, but I missed since I had horrible aim.

"Oh. My. God." I gasped as someone came into the light.


	7. Help Wanted

**Chapter 7- Talya**

I rushed behind Skyler and quickly put my hand over her mouth. I felt her scream into my hand. She is so lucky I know her reactions. After about a minute I let go of her face. She just stood in shock.

"Don't just stand there. Talk to him," I whispered as I pushed her to the window.

"Uh, hi Roy."

"Hey." That's all they had to say? I worked that hard and that's all they had to say!

"Tell him you're not mad at him," I prompted from my bed. Sky shot me a glare.

"Um, Roy, I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to make it seem like I was mad at you."

"Then why are you avoiding me?"

"I'm not." Silence came after that. I knew Roy was doubting Skyler. What could I say to make this better?

"Sky, come here for a sec," I beckoned. Sky came over and sat at the end of my bed.

"What?"

"Sky, let's break the pact."

"What? Why?"

"I can tell it's hurting you and Roy."

"Fine, but it's only broken because you haven't been playing hard to get!"

"What? I so have been!"

"Yeah, right!"

"You know the only reason Mulletfingers and I talk just like friends is because I avoided all other topics that would've led to me breaking our pact. Now go." Sky smiled a little as I lightly pushed her off my bed.

"Hey Roy?"

"Yeah, Skyler?"

"Meet us here tomorrow night. Bring Mulletfingers."

"'Kay!" More silence. I was actually amazed. This was Skyler, the girl who gets A+ in talking.

"Bye Roy." Aha! I heard it in Sky's voice. She was blushing! My Sky was blushing about a guy! She truly was falling in love.

"Bye Sky." Hey, that rhymes.

I heard Sky crawl into her bed. After an hour I heard her breathing slow. I knew I should've been asleep by then, but every time I closed my eyes to try to sleep I saw Mulletfingers' face. Maybe even I was falling in love.

I went through the day in a half daze. All the classes went by in the same fashion. I don't remember a single thing I learned, not even from marine studies. At lunch I ate without speaking while Garret, Roy, and Sky talked amiably. Beatrice was sitting with her soccer friends. Every once in a while I would glance over and see the whole table glaring at us.

Near the end of the day I began to feel sick. I rushed to the bathroom and into a stall. Instead of puking, though, I began to cry. I sat on one of the toilets and cried. I didn't want to fall in love. Mulletfingers was nice, but what if he stabs me in my back? What if he cheats on me or falls in love with another girl, or … I've been hurt too many times in the past. I bet if Skyler knew all this she'd understand why I have such a hard time with boys.

Once I'd dried my tears and washed my face I walked to the bus stop. No one was there. I looked at my watch. It was 3:30. I was so dead when I got home.

The whole walk home I fought back tears. I knew I should've been happy. I was getting over Ayden and moving on, but somewhere inside me wouldn't let me be free. It made me relive every painful moment in my relationships. When I got home I walked silently up the stairs and lay down on my bed. Sky looked up from her laptop but went right back to playing games.

At dinner I was silent too. Martha looked at me and I was overly conscious of it. I had this feeling that she knew more about how I felt than I did.

"Who'd like some ice cream?" she asked kindly as she cleared dishes.

"I would love some, auntie," Sky replied cheerfully.

"No, thank you," I refused politely.

"But dear, you always have dessert," Martha said affectionately.

"Not tonight." I went up to my room and lay back down on my bed. I knew there was no use sulking, but I couldn't help but drown in my own gloom. I heard footsteps come up the stairs and Martha entered the room. She sat at the edge of my bed.

'What's wrong dear?"

"I don't know."

"Well, it must be something if you're refusing dessert."

"It's a boy."

"Ah," she smiled knowingly, "One of the guys in your class catch your eye? It must be painful not being able to meet him after school."

I sighed. "He doesn't go to our school."

"Please tell me he's not over 17!"

"Don't worry. He's 15."

"Then why doesn't he come to school?"

"I can't tell you."

"Very well, then. So what is it about this boy that's bothering you?"

"It's not so much the boy as me."

"What do you mean?"

"Every time I picture his face in my mind I feel all bubbly. Then a wave of depression hits me and I see all the bad stuff that's happened to me."

"You had some bad boyfriends, huh?" I nodded. "Well, it seems to me that if you wait just a bit more, you'll find out if he would ever do anything to hurt you. If he would, he's not the guy for you. If he wouldn't, then you've found your guy."

I remained silent for a while. "What if I know he'd hurt me, but I still love him?"

"Then it's only you, not the guy, who's causing your pain." If felt the hot tears roll down my face and I brushed them away with the back of my hand.

"Thank you, Martha." She smiled warmly, like how I always imagined a mom should smile.

"Why don't you wash your face and then come down and join us for ice cream?" I smiled and raced to the bathroom. No way was I missing having cherry ice cream!

Clink. Clink. Clink. I heard Sky go to the window and open it.

"Hey Roy!"

"Hey Sky!" I swear you will never find a couple who could be so excited to see each other after not being together for only 2 hours.

"Lya, get over here."

"Why?"

"Duh! Weren't you listening last night?" I tried to remember their brief conversation. Awkward silence. More awkward silence. Meet again. Mulletfingers. Awkward silence.

"I can't remember." Then it hit me. Stupid blonde moments. "Oh my God!" I raced to the window. Standing right beside Roy was Mulletfingers, tanned body and all. "Wait a moment!" I called down to them. I turned to Sky.

"Can we please jump off the ledge to them?"

"Are you nuts?"

"You know it's not that far."

'What happens if we die?"

"Let me rethink." I looked out the window and along the ledge that went around the second story of the house just under the windows. Perfect.

"Sky, we can walk a little bit and we're at the drain pipe. We can climb down that."

"No friggin' way."

"Fine. You just let Roy stand there by himself while I hug Mulletfingers…"

"Fine, I'll come. But you're going first so if you die I don't have to go."

"Deal." Carefully I climbed out the window and grabbed the ledge with my toes. I walked over hanging with my left hand onto the window. Slowly I bent down until I reached the pipe with my right hand. I grabbed on, lost my balance, and fell… right into Mulletfingers arms.

My arms were practically strangling him I was holding on so tight. I could feel his heart beat through his shirt. Breathing deeply I slowed my own heartbeat down to the same speed as his before letting go. BY the time I actually had my feet on the ground, Skyler was down by Roy.

"Amateur. You should have jumped straight into his arms if you were gonna do that," Skyler smirked.

"I didn't do it on purpose!" I almost yelled. She laughed and turned to Roy. Damn her. I turned around to face Mulletfingers. I hadn't realized how close we were.

When I turned I actually bumped into him. "Sorry," I mumbled. He just smiled. God, he had gorgeous teeth.

"When are you un-grounded?"

"Tomorrow actually." I smiled as I remembered how Martha had sat us down and told us as long as we were in the house by 8 PM we could have our privileges back.

"That's great." Again he flashed me his amazing smile. He must brush 5 times a day. His breath even smells minty. He began chuckling.

"What are you laughing about?"

"Them." Mulletfingers pointed towards Sky and Roy. She had her arms around his neck and he had his hands circling his waist. I swear it looked as if they were slow dancing. Mulletfingers tugged on my hand as we sat on the grass. He put his finger to his lips and smiled.

We listened closely as the most romantic (yet very terrifying) scene unfolded before us.

"Roy?"

"Mm?"

"Do you have a crush on Beatrice?"

"I did once."

"Really?"

"Yeah, but then I met the most amazing girl. Every time I went near her I felt like I was melting, and when she avoided me I felt like I was going to die."

"You loved her that much?"

"Yeah."

"Does she love you back?"

"I don't know."

"Maybe she needs you to kiss her." Roy smiled and leaned in. When Sky's and his lips touched Mulletfingers and I began to clap.

"Way to go, man!" cheered Mulletfingers.

"Nice lines, Sky."

"Shut up guys!" Sky reprimanded, but the order was lost because a smile that went from ear to ear was planted on her face.

"Meet me at the marina on Saturday, 'kay?"

"Yeah, sure. Do I need to bring anything?"

"A bathing suit I guess." Mullet fingers smiled, then turned and followed Roy into the trees.

"You guys have plans?" Sky asked slyly.

"Yes, we do!"

"Okay then. I tell you all about my date tomorrow, you tell me all about yours on Saturday."

"Deal," I smiled as I climbed up the pipe to our room.


	8. First Date

**Chapter 8 – Skyler**

I rolled over in my bed, unable to fall asleep. I lifted my index and middle finger and placed them over my top lip and I bit my bottom lip. I smiled to my self. Yep, he was the one. Never before had I felt like that with a guy, and I was glad that he was the first.

I took out my cell phone and texted my best friend.

//Hey u wake//

I texted, and I didn't expect an answer, but my phone vibrated in my hand immediately after I sent the message.

//Yep sup?//

//Nm…cant sleep…y r u awake//

//well I just watched the ring and I cant sleep and u just called so im even more terrified, thanks//

//lol ahaha np!...seven days!!!!!//

//shut up not funny. So y u aint asleep//

//kiss//

//omg is it wat I said?//

//noooo not u! roy//

//u kissed?//

//disappointed?//

//…maybe…hell ur hot… and u kissed me…so yhe!//

//lol sry…//

//so how was it?//

//a dream…SRY//

//lol np dun worry I'll find a grl sumday//

//o.m.g.!//

//wat?//

//BEATRICE!//

//um…aha..NO!//

//u never no… think about it over nite//

//she's scarier than the ring grl//

//oo ouch!! Lol imam TRY 2 sleep//

//bye//

I placed my phone by my night table and after 5 minutes it started vibrating again. I picked up my phone but all it said was the time. Then I saw Lya's phone moving all around the table. I picked it up, horrible I know, and read who was calling. M.F.

//hey r u asleep?// I read the message from Mulletfingers. Who knew he had a cell phone?

//nope..thinking bout ur sxxy bod// This was just too entertaining. I'd tell him later it wasn't really Lya.

//Skyler?//

//Nope…I get like her when i'm alone and she doesnt no I wanna b like her//

//o…so y cant u sleep?//

//ur always on my mind// Oh man, if Lya knew…

//me 2// I let a high pitched scream escape my mouth, loud enough for only Lya to hear.

"WHAT?" She yelled as she sat up straight in her bed. "Isn't that my cell phone?" She asked as she eyed it suspiciously.

"Is it that obvious that yours is a million times uglier than mine?"

"Thanks, thanks!" She rolled her eyes. "Why did you scream?"

"Promise not to kill me?"

"Depends…"

"Ok, well I was texting Garret, and then 5 minutes later I thought my phone was vibrating. It was actually yours so I wanted to see who it was and it was Mulletfingers, and I was really curious so I read it. Here read, then give it to me so I can get more juicy stuff from him." I threw her the phone and she gasped as soon as she finished reading it.

"What the part about how I said you wanted to be me, the part about his body, or the part about him thinking a lot about you?" I asked as I caught the phone. She got out of bed and threw herself beside me.

"All of them, mainly the second one. Ok, now say 'aww thanks'."

//aw 10x…i want u bad!//

"OhMyGod why did you send that? He's going to think I'm obsessed with him!" She gasped.

"Well you are."

"He's not supposed to know that!"

//lol aha Skyler weres Lya//

//damn u! how did u no//

//1st the whole i like ur bod, then the whole rest. Lyas 2 shy//

//lol yhe! ok imma sleep. bye//

I placed the phone back onto the night table and lay down in my bed. Lya went back to her bed and just sat there.

"What's wrong?" I asked her as I propped myself onto my elbow.

"I'm just thinking about Saturday…"

"Your date?"

"Yeah, I'm nervous…I don't know what to do, what I'm going to say and everything…"

"I used to be like that. You just need to stop thinking about it…let it all go by itself. If something happens, it happens. The best things that will happen are the things you don't think about…so don't think." I placed my head back onto my pillow. I should take my own advice…

"Which one? The pink and black one or the yellow and baby blue one?" I desperately cried as I held up two bathing suits. One of the bikinis was black and had a pink flower on the left side and the bottom piece had strings coming from the side which were the color pink.

The blue and yellow one had thin blue and yellow stripes. I held them up in the mirror and Lya pointed to the pink and black one. I ran into the bathroom and came out wearing it. Then I pulled my beach dress over it which was red and had white strips going horizontally on it.

I quickly ran to the dresser and took out my high heeled sandals that had see-through straps and had little cherries at the corners. I grabbed my red purse and looked in the mirror. I looked great! I grabbed my cell, threw it in my bag and ran down the stairs as soon as the door bell rang.

Roy's jaw dropped a little as soon as I had opened the door. A wave of panic came over me.

"Do I look bad? Am I too over dressed? Under dressed? I'm underdressed aren't I? I have to change! Oh my God!" I went on and on but then Roy's lips came crashing down on mine for a second and then he pulled away.

"You look perfect; let's go." He grabbed my hand and we walked over to his car. I jumped in and we started driving to this very casual, but at the same time fancy, restaurant.

It was called "Casa Verde" which in both Spanish and Romanian, meant The Green House. At first I thought it was the most ironic name since the house was clearly white. We walked through the door and the inside looked like a hotel reception, in other words, beautiful!

I was about to walk over to one of the tables to get a seat, but Roy, who's hand was still entangled in mine, led me through another pair of doors. I gasped at how beautiful the scenery was.

There were two people tables all around, all in white and the chairs were white and looked like they were made of straws. There were green vases with different colored flowers at each table. The wall of the building was completely covered in vines filled with leaves, and I understood why it was called 'Casa Verde.'

We took a seat by a table that was by the edge of the large porch. It had a beautiful view of the beach and the ocean's calm waves. The sun was still really high in the sky since it was 1 o'clock, and the ocean sparkled.

"It's beautiful!"

"I know…" He replied, not taking his eyes off of me. I could feel myself turning red…it never happened before, I was feeling so shy around him.

We ate soup and some other sophisticated food, and then left the restaurant. We headed over to his car and grabbed two towels and a sun umbrella and headed for the beach. We put up the umbrella and I took off my dress while Roy got in his swimming trunks also.

I laid myself down onto the pink towel and closed my eyes. I decided to wait before we got in the water, so we decided to talk for a while. We really started to get into the conversation and after three hours of talking about anything and everything, we went into the ocean.

For about two hours we dunked each other and basically made out, a lot, until we got really tired and decided to go home.

"So how was it?" Lya asked as soon as I threw myself on the bed. I didn't feel like telling her anything, I was too much into my own little world. I was falling for him…hard…

"Boring, we didn't do anything." I said sounding as bored and annoyed as I could, just so she would think nothing happened.

"Oh come on, something _had_ to happen! I know you, something definitely happened! So, now tell me!"

"Ok, so we ate at this place, and then we started kissing and his tongue was all…"

"OH GOD SHUT UP!" She yelled as she threw something at me.

"Ha-ha!" I laughed. "I succeeded in making you not want to know!!!" I laughed and closed my eyes again reliving the moment.

"Fine, then tomorrow after I tell you about my date you need to tell me yours."

"Deal."


	9. Horrible or Perfect Date?

**Chapter 9- Talya**

"What should I wear? What should I wear? What should I wear?" I was panicking. Sky kept trying to calm me down. It wasn't working.

"I don't know what to wear!"

"Wear that cute hot pink bikini you have. The one with the floral design on the top and the plain on the bottom."

"Okay!" I rummaged through my dresser until I found it. "Alright! Problem solved!" I smiled for maybe 2 seconds before I realized I couldn't _just_ wear a bikini. "I need a sundress!" I groaned.

"Wait, I think I have the perfect one for you." Skyler went through her closet. How she found anything in there is still a mystery to me. "Here it is!" She pulled out a beautiful white dress that cinched at the waist. It had spaghetti straps and the skirt was wispy.

"Sky, that's too nice."

"Just put it on!" I went to the bathroom and changed. Reluctantly I stepped out of the bathroom.

"How do I look?" I asked nervously.

"Great! Mulletfingers is gonna be all over you today!"

"I'm not sure if that's a good thing."

"Of course it is!" Right then we heard the doorbell ring. I glanced over at Sky. She mouthed good luck.

"Who are you and why are you at my house?" Skyler and I groaned simultaneously as we heard Ben question Mulletfingers. I raced down the stairs.

"Hi Ben! See you later Ben!" I rushed past him, and grabbed Mulletfingers' arm.

"Wait just a moment young lady!" I cringed and slowly turned. "Where do you think you're going?"

"We're going to the docks, renting a boat, and checking on wildlife," Mulletfingers answered. I looked up at him. Was he serious? Ben eyed us closely.

"Make sure she's back at a reasonable time."

"No problem, sir!" Ben nodded and went back into the house. I looked over at Mulletfingers.

"Sir?"

"What? Aren't I allowed to call him that?"

"Whatever. Let's go." Mulletfingers smiled.

"You are going to love this!" He grabbed my hand and began to run. That kid could run fast. I was practically being pulled along! Finally we arrived at the dock. There in front of us was a small boat.

"You were serious?"

"Why? What were you expecting?"

"Fancy restaurant, beach, y'know, the usual…"

Mulletfingers laughed. "No, that's Roy's thing. I'm a bit more of a nature boy."

I smiled. "That's why I love you." Mulletfingers looked at me curiously. He jumped onto the boat and offered me a hand.

"Milady." I took his hand and daintily stepped onto the boat.

"Good sir," I replied, laughter creeping in at the edges of my voice. He sat me down then turned the engine on. "Aren't we wearing lifejackets?"

Mulletfingers smiled. "Why? There's nothing to fear where we're going 'cept alligators!"

"Isn't that reason enough?" He laughed. Then he became serious. "No matter what happens Lya, I promise I'll protect you." I swear for a full 10 minutes I didn't breathe. My face probably went as purple as a plum.

Soon we arrived in a secluded lagoon. Mulletfingers leaned over the side of the boat.

"What are you doing?"

"You'll see." All of a sudden his hand went into the water and pulled out a little fish.

"How cute!" I exclaimed.

"It's a mullet."

"Is that why everyone calls you Mulletfingers?"

"Yeah." I watched him put the fish back into the water.

"What's your real name?"

"My real name?" Mulletfingers asked in confusion. "Not many people ask me for it."

"What? Can't you remember it?" I teased. He gave a sarcastic glare my way.

"Of course I do. It's Cody."

"Cody." I tested the word on my lips. It rolled off my tongue perfectly. "It suits you," I announced. He smiled his crooked smile and leaned out over the boat again.

"Now what are you doing?"

"Waiting." I watched as Cody stared in concentration at the water. I knew if he was looking he'd see a huge smile on my face. He was just so cute! All of a sudden I heard a noise.

"Oh! My cell phone!" I took it out and noticed that I had text message.

//hey sweetie. Ben told me u r out with a 'friend'. No kissing.// Oh God. My dad is so totally overprotective. All of a sudden, I heard a large splash. I looked up.

"Cody?" I called cautiously. I couldn't see him anywhere. _Did he fall in? Oh my God, he's not surfacing! What if he's dead?_ I thought frantically. Then I saw some bubbles rise to the surface and Cody reappeared.

"Please, please don't do that again!" I begged. The panic began to subside.

"Sorry," he smiled. Sky was right; his teeth did remind me of bunnies. "So, are you coming in?"

"In? But there's alligators and stuff!"

"This is coming from the girl who used danger music to call a shark to her rescue."

"It worked didn't it?" Cody laughed at my attempt to be funny. I don't know if he seriously thought that was funny, but whatever. "I'm still not coming in."

"Yes you are!"

"No I'm not!" I sat stubbornly down on the boat again and crossed my arms. I just liked winning.

"Fine then." I watched Cody as he swam around a bit and occasionally dove under. Finally he came back to the side of the boat.

"Please come in?" He looked up at me with his gorgeous eyes and I nearly said yes. Instead I stuck out my tongue. So grade school, but I knew he'd think it's cute. Dating tip # 28: Try to act smaller than him. It makes him feel like you need him to protect you. Thank you, Sky.

Cody got a serious look on his face. "Whatever. I knew this was a bad idea." I panicked. Did he not think that was cute? He swam backward a few paces and then ducked under water suddenly. He came up gasping for breath.

"Lya, help me!"

"Nice try. It's so not working." Cody went under water again for an even longer period of time.

"Lya, please! This isn't a joke! Help-" He was cut off as he went back under water. This wasn't good.

"Cody! Oh no, Cody!" I leaned at the edge of the boat looking for any sign of him. I began to worry. What if he'd been serious and I'd let him get killed? All of a sudden he surfaced in my face and grabbed my hand. I fell into the water screaming. Once I resurfaced Cody was laughing like a maniac. Not funny.

"I told you not to scare me like that!"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I really wanted you in the water."

"Why's that?"

"So I could feel you up?" Cody began taking long swimming strokes towards me. I swam further back. "Relax, I was kidding." He shook his head and his hair actually sparkled in the sunlight. Seriously.

"Seriously, now, why'd you bring me here?"

"There's a manatee family that swims here. There so friendly. You'll absolutely love them!" He began swimming away. I followed him. Thank God I was a strong swimmer; it took a lot of effort to keep up with him. Cody looked around him anxiously.

"What's wrong?" I asked as he searched the area carefully.

"Something's not right." I saw him reach for a low branch overhead. "First the alligators, then the catfish, now the manatees? What the hell's going on?" he muttered low enough that he thought I couldn't hear. Luckily I have amazing hearing which is not used to its full effectiveness in school.

"Cody, is there something wrong?" He turned to me. His expression betrayed nothing of his worries, but I could see the panic in his eyes.

"Nothing. Let's head back to the boat. I promised I wouldn't keep you late."

The whole ride to the dock Cody never spoke a word. He just stared off into the distance. I watched him and sighed. I wished he would let me know what he's thinking. Maybe we weren't there yet. The sun was beginning to set and the whole ocean in front of us lit up pink and orange. I sucked in my breath and Cody glanced at me.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" I couldn't speak so I just nodded my head. "One day, I'm not going to have to hide. One day I'll be able to save Florida from the stupid people who are ruining the wildlife around here." I saw his mouth tighten. Tonight was probably not going to get anywhere.

At the dock I gathered my stuff. By then Sky's sundress had dried and I wouldn't have to make up an excuse. I turned to leave. "Bye, Cody," I practically whispered. I started walking down the dock when I felt his arms circle my waist.

"I'm sorry I'm not a good… whatever I am to you." I turned around in his arms. It was a little hard because damn, his arms were strong!

"You're perfect," I smiled. Cody leaned his head towards me. I could feel the tickle of his breath on my skin. Then music began playing out of my purse. I blushed and took out my phone.

//Lya! When r u home? Hungry! bring food// I was going to kill Skyler. Cody half-smiled.

"I guess you gotta go. See ya later, Lya!" Then Cody began to run, and all I did was stare after him. Sometimes I'm so naïve.

"Sky I am gonna kick your ass all the way back to Canada!" I screamed as I raced up the stairs to our room. I flung open the door. Sky was lying on her bed texting her new friends at school.

"What'd I do?" she asked in surprise.

"You ruined it! You ruined the perfect, most romantic moment!" I took my pillow and smacked it down on her head.

"Mother! Why the heck did you do that?!"

"I was on my date with Cody and we went swimming but then he got all depressed and I was like crap I'm a horrible date but then at the end of it he was about to kiss me but you ruin it all with a text message!" I practically screamed at Sky. The look on her face told me I was really scary. I took a deep breath and tried to calm down.

"Whatever. Mulletfingers is probably upset that he couldn't feel you up."

"You don't know him at all! How could you say that?"

"Lya, think rationally! You've known this guy for only 2 months! He's lived by himself for over a year and hasn't seen a girl other than Beatrice. He's probably really, really horny."

"You don't know Cody at all!" I screamed. "How could you say that?!"

"Ooh, his name's Cody?"

"Yeah, isn't cute?" I gushed. We burst out laughing.

"It's going to be awesome to not have to call him Mulletfingers."

"Wait! You can't call him Cody!"

"Why not?"

I blushed. "I want it to be a special us thing."

"Oh! Someone's got it bad! Fine, I'll just call him MC."

"MC?"

"Yeah! Mulletfingers Cody."

"Nice." I went over to my bed and grabbed my pyjamas. "Hey Sky?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry I yelled at you."

"I'm sorry I ruined your date."

"And?"

"I'm sorry I called your boyfriend a horndog."

"Thank you." I paused before adding, "He's not my boyfriend."

"Why not? You guys went on a date and you obviously like each other."

"I'm surprised Sky! I thought you knew of all people that a guy's not your boyfriend until he asks you to be his girlfriend."

"Oh yeah! Heh, it sucks to be you. Roy asked me within the first 5 minutes of our date!"

"No way!" I shrieked. We spent half the night gushing out details from our date. Sky and I basically are real sisters. Fight in public, tell all at night.


	10. Green Eyed Monster

**Chapter 10 – Skyler**

After hearing the details of Lya's date…coughboringcough, I was extremely happy with how mine went. A couple of days passed which were spent with me talking on the phone for hours with Roy, and Cody and Lya talking all night long, which was really quite annoying.

I don't get why he still comes, I mean we aren't grounded or anything. Apparently he had a limited amount of limits on his phone. My God that's a stupid excuse! I bet he just wants to get into Lya's mouth, but she's too shy so he's getting all fidgety and needy.

"Bye Roy." I said as I gave him a kiss good-bye. He walked away and Garret and I were left standing in front of the bus.

"Oh, you and Roy are a big happy family!" He almost sang the last words to me.

"OMG ROY WASN'T SUPPOSED TO TELL YOU I WAS PREGNANT!" I screamed in a dramatic voice.

"WHAT!?!?!?!!?!?!" Garret was on the verge of fainting and I burst into laughter at his freaked out expression.

"That was too funny!"

"No it wasn't! He's 16 now, he has needs you know!"

"Ok, I have to go, I'll call you later." I said and Garret embraced me into a hug. I let go and ran onto my bus.

As soon as I got home I went online and expected Roy to go on or at least call me but nothing happened. I thought maybe he would come tonight, surprise me for not calling or anything.

'Clink!'I jumped out of my bed and raced to the window. I opened it and expected to see Roy but it was just Cody.

"Oh, hey MC, what's up?" I asked with the most 'tiered but really happy to see you' tone. I didn't want _anyone_ to know how I felt inside. I had bad experiences to telling anyone how I felt so I always kept everything bottled up and wrote it in my diary. I know, I know, weird huh? But at least I felt a little more relieved to put it down on paper than letting the feelings build up on each other until I exploded. Oh, and I usually told my mom everything, but she was gone.

"Nothing, where's Lya?"

"I'll call here as long as you promise not to talk so friggen--"

"Hey MC!" Lya said as jumped to the window.

"—long." I finished. "Hey, that's my nickname for him!"

"Fine, fine, Cody."

I smiled approvingly and walked over to my bed again. I've never felt so alone before. I had no diary since I had to buy a new one, Lya was no help since she was busy, Garret was a guy, he couldn't possibly help, and my mom was in Canada, and Roy was mad at me, who knows why.

I had never felt like that before…EVER! Well maybe that was because I had never fallen for anyone as hard as I did for Roy. He was so different from all the other guys; I had actually changed myself just so we could last! Well ok I changed myself for the reputation, but also that he would fall for me. And also, for some strange reason I had stopped checking guys out…ALMOST stopped…but I was really close to achieving that goal!

I quietly walked out of the room and into the bathroom. I grabbed my phone and placed it down beside me as I let some tears fall own my cheek. I know how dramatic and stupid I sound, but I've always had people follow me around and _always_ be there for me and now I had no one.

I picked up the phone and dialed my mom's cell number. I didn't care how much I had to pay I just needed to talk to her.

"Hello??" I heard her groan from the other line. "Sweetie, what's wrong?" She suddenly sounded more than awake as soon as she heard me sob. I explained the whole situation to her, after I told her everything that happened before it, so she could understand why I was so broken.

"He's really the right guy, isn't he?"

"I guess." I said after I had calmed down.

"You should probably try and find out why he's mad. From what I hear about him, he doesn't get mad easily so he must have a really good reason." She explained. I tried really hard but I had absolutely no idea what the problem could have been.

"So…do you have a reason?" She asked me.

"No…"

"Then pretend like you don't think anything is wrong and try to talk to him." That was a great idea!

"Ok, I'll call you and tell you how things go tomorrow!" I snapped the phone shut, waited a minute and then opened it again.

//hey, u asleep// At first I didn't think I was going to get an answer, but 10 minutes later I did. I was still on the bathroom floor when I heard the cell phone vibrating on the tiled floor.

//not anymore// Ouch…can I say bitchy?

//sry//

//w.e.//

//can u talk 2 me?//

//i wanna sleep//

//plz!//

//wat?//

//y didnt u call me?//

//i didnt feel like it//

//w.e. bye//

I just sat there holding my cell phone still opened to his last message. I could feel tears stinging the back of my eyes and I just let them flow. What did I do to him? Why was he acting like that? What the hell happened between 2 and now? Did Beatrice say something to him? That must be it, Beatrice told him stuff to get him mad at me! I was going to beyond kill her!

I walked to the bedroom, anger taking over the sadness, and I threw myself, extra hard, on the bed. Lya turned around immediately and she could tell I was extremely pissed.

"Sky…" She said slowly trying to approach me, and making sure I wasn't about to snap. Too little too late.

"What?" I nearly yelled out.

"Hi…" She said slowly. I could tell she was going to say something else, but with my reaction she just shut up! She turned back to the window and told MC something. She closed the window and went to her bed.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Is it going to piss me off?" I asked with the most annoyed tone in my voice. This time I wasn't faking, it was for real.

"If it does, don't say anything. What happened?" I didn't answer. Not because it the question pissed me off, the answer did. I couldn't say 'nothing', because everything happened. I couldn't say 'stuff', because it was more than stuff, so I just stayed quiet.

I rolled over in my bed and I could feel tears stinging the back of my eyes again. I but my lip form the inside to make myself stop. I wasn't going to keep crying, it never solved anything! Ok, well it did, just not this. I heard Lya sigh and then I felt her sitting down on my bed.

"You can tell me." She said trying to comfort me. Um…bad move! Frick, I started crying again. I pointed to the phone and she picked it up. I saw her jaw drop as soon as she finished reading all of the messages.

"I have an awesome plan!" She said after a while of thinking.

"Ok, tell…" I ordered as I whipped a tear from my face.

"You'll have to wait. Don't worry it's a guarantee you'll know what happened, and you two can get back together.

"It better work!"

"So what's the plan?" Garret asked after I finished explaining the situation to him. Maybe he could help after all…maybe!

"I'm not sure, apparently Lya has some plan that will 100 work for sure." I sat down at the lunch table and stuffed a carrot in my mouth.

"Well you're not the only one that needs help with him." He looked over his shoulder at the table that Roy, Lya, and Beatrice were sitting at. They looked like they were in some intense conversation, but as soon as Beatrice and I made eye contact she burst into hysteric laughter.

"Are they laughing at me? Do I look stupid? Did I do something embarrassing?" Garret asked frantically.

"No, you retard! Beatrice knows Roy is mad at us so she wants us to be jealous, and think that they're talking about us. Now Beatrice is going to tell Roy to start laughing." And just like I predicted she leaned over to him and he started laughing too.

"How do you know this stuff?"

"Oh, it's basic 'make-them-feel-horrible' actions. I did them with my clique all the time!" I rolled my eyes as if it was no big deal. Of course I had _way_ better moves than Beatrice. I mean, hello, this is _me_ we're talking about.

"Ok here's what we're going to do. Well there's no need in telling you what _I'm_ going to do, you'll just see. After school you're going to ask to come over, oh, make sure Roy hears, and then I'll pretend to be thinking a little and then I'll agree, and then I'll do the whole flirty laugh, and walk off. Got it?"

"Yeah…but won't that make things worse?"

"For me…no. For you…yes. But don't worry! As soon as Roy and I start talking again, I'll fix everything between you and him. I'll be right back." I got up and took my tray with me which still had all the food on it. I walked over to Beatrice's table and just then Mary bumped into me.

Mary was the girl no one paid any attention to. She was the nerdy geeky girl in the school. She had red hair that was always in braided pony tails and those huge circular and thick glasses. Sure she was nice, but no one really talked to her, so one knew what she was all about.

My drink and all of my food was now no longer in my tray, but all over Beatrice's white shirt. This was better than I had planned, I was going to say that I tripped and it spilled, but no, this actually looked like an accident.

"Beatrice!" Lya gasped. I could tell she was trying hard not to laugh.

"My shirt!" She almost screamed. She turned to me with narrowed eyes. "You did this on purpose!" She screamed.

"Prove it." I challenged. Thank goodness Mary was still there; maybe she would stick up for me.

"You guys, stop! I crashed into Sky and--" She started. Yay, my luck.

"—ler. Sky-ler." I corrected. I didn't want people who weren't my friends to address me like that. I know bitchy, but hey, I have status and in order to keep that I have to act like a total bitch.

"She didn't mean to do this! I'm so sorry!" She looked like she was almost in tears. Then again she just messed with the girl with status and the girl that everyone knew as the girl who could beat up anyone.

"What's going on?" I heard Miley's voice behind me. She was miss popularity in the school and my other best friend. She was the one that took me into her clique, the clique that no one dared to mess around with…not even Beatrice.

Miley had long brown curly hair and lake blue eyes. She was really sweet to everyone in school except with the people who messed with her or with her closest friends. The clique consisted for 4 girls: Janelle, Emily, Miley, and me.

I didn't really hang around with them much during school; we were just always together after school. I looked over at Roy whose jaw completely dropped when he noticed Miley sticking up for me.

"I just bumped into Skyler." Mary stuttered. I could she wanted to be noticed, just not in this way.

"So you should just say sorry and leave." Beatrice ordered.

"If she wants to stay, let her stay." I said as I grabbed Mary's hand before she could walk away.

"Skyler, we can do this without her." Miley whispered to me.

"Do you want to stay or go?" Lya budded in, trying to sound all sweet. I rolled my eyes at her attempt. This would just get Miley more pissed since she hated people that just budded in.

"Go!" Beatrice, Miley, and I all ordered in unison. Mary ran as fast as she could out of our way and across the school yard, as far away from us as possible.

"So, Beatrice, I don't see the big problem. It's just food and it's also called a washing machine." She said slowly as if Beatrice was too stupid to understand. Beatrice seemed to get really angry. I could tell she was so fed up with the whole popular girl attitude.

"You know what? You're all big in talk and what ever, but after school we'll really see who's better." Beatrice challenged. She grabbed Lya's hand, as if she was some little shadow of hers, and they left for the bathroom. I didn't even bother looking at Roy I just linked arms with Miley and walked away as if no one was even at the table.

"Nice!" She squealed as she held her hand up congratulating me.

"About what?" I asked as I led her over to my table with Garret.

"I know you did it on purpose! Hello, this is me here! The girl who does exactly what you do!! So why did you do it anyway?" She asked as she sat down across form me and Garret.

"Oh, she's flirting with my boyfriend and trying to make me jealous with the whole looking at me and then laughing thing."

"Oh that is so junior high!" Miley said with a wave of her hand. "Who still falls for that?" She rolled her eyes with a smile and then her eyes fell on Garret, who was blushing another shade of lipstick red.

"Oh that color would go so well with my outfit!" Emily said as she threw herself down beside Garret, who was blushing even harder now. "No, not that color, the one before!" We all burst out laughing.

"Where's Janie?" I asked as I looked over Emily's blonde head and didn't see anyone.

"With her stupid boyfriend." Emily rolled her green eyes.

"So…Gordon, you and Sky dating?" Miley asked.

"Garret…and no, why'd you think that?" He asked confused.

"Because you two are always around each other." Miley explained with the 'no-duh' look.

"Oh, no, we're best friends." I explained.

"Oh…it's Roy!" Emily nodded to herself.

"Yeah, and he's mad at me for some stupid reason. I think Beatrice told him stuff and he believes it." I said as I gave Beatrice a dirty glare as soon as she was outside again.

"Oh, so you're using Gordon here to get him jealous!" Emily stated with a smile on her face that said she understood everything.

"You are?" Garret asked, not even caring that Emily got his name wrong. She was one of the hottest girls in school and she was talking to him, so he didn't exactly care.

"I told you that already, but you've been my best friend for a long time, so no not really." I explained.

"Or…he's mad because Roy thinks you're cheating on him with Gordon." Miley explained after being quiet for a while. Garret rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"That can't be right, he knows we're close, and he even said it wasn't a problem."

"Did he really?" Emily asked.

"Well no…but…"

"So it's that or Beatrice. Go with the first one. Stop hanging out with Gordon and maybe he'll say sorry because he over reacted." Emily proposed.

"No offense Gordon, but it's only for today. Just hang with Roy or something." Miley suggested.

"He's mad at me too."

"Oh, you can hang out with Janie." Emily said. "Don't worry her boyfriend is way beyond stupid and he won't care as long as you don't touch her or anything, and Roy will be impressed that you're hanging out with her and us."

"JANIE!" Miley yelled at a brunette that looked _exactly_ like Rhianna with short hair. She didn't seem to notice anyone was calling her name. "JANELLE!" Miley screamed louder. The brunette looked over to our table and started running our way.

"Hey guys!" She threw herself down beside me.

"Can you do us all a huge favour?" Miley pleaded.

"What?" Janelle asked with a bubbly tone.

"We need you and Gordon here to hang out the rest of today and not with us."

"Why not?" She asked confused.

I explained everything to her and she nodded slowly. I turned to Garret who was glaring at me because I kept calling him Gordon.

"Oh…ok sure, just pretend like you're not hanging around with me when my boyfriend's around." She explained.

"Who _is_ your boyfriend?" Garret asked.

"Oh, the guy right there." Janelle pointed to three guys all standing watching a brunette guy running into trees. Then there was a loud "OOO" of pain and an "OOO" of wow that was totally awesome. His friends started laughing at the brunette who was on the grass rubbing his shoulder…the one he ran into the tree with.

"Aww, baby!" Janelle said to no one in particular.

"See? He's way beyond stupid!" Emily said as she shook her head. Janelle didn't seem to mind, probably because she knew Emily was right. The bell rang to signal the end of lunch. Miley grabbed my arm and we started walking to our lockers.

"So…I'm going to need your help." She said as she stopped at my locker along with Emily. Janelle kept on walking with Garret and talking…a lot…

"With…" Emily asked.

"Beating up Beatrice." I said as if it was no big deal.

"Oh yeah, sure…WHAT!?!?!" Emily almost screamed.

"Well she challenged us…so we can't bail out, we have to go. We'll own her, don't worry!" Miley said as she took out her book for her next class.

"You do realize she can kill you in two seconds?" Emily threw her math and science books into her pink backpack.

"Oh I have an idea! We can pull her hair!" Miley said excitedly.

"And she can punch us in the face! Yeah Milez, that will work PERFECTLY!" I said with a wide smile. Miley stuck her tongue out me.

"Shut up, it was just a suggestion."

"You guys I don't think you should do it, I say just leave it, there's no point in it. Here's what's going to happen if you show up. You guys will bring boys to help you and they will probably kill Beatrice, since Sky has mad persuasion skills, and then Beatrice will cry. She'll bring Roy to help her, which will lead into Roy getting more pissed at Sky, and then starting a huge fight, which will involve most of the school. We don't want that!" Emily predicted as we started walking to our next class.

I guess Emily was right, we should just drop it. I should just drop the whole plan with me and Garret too. Now the only thing that could get me and Roy out of this fight was Lya's master plan.


	11. Master Plan

Hey guys! Just so you don't get confused, this is Talya's POV of Chapter 10. Thanks for your reviews! I really appreciate it!

**Chapter 11- Talya**

I stood in front of the mirror. Should I wear make-up? Shouldn't I? I did when I went on dates. What about school? Did it matter? I mean, really, who did I have to impress there?

"Lya, hurry up! It takes me an hour to get my hair and make-up done!" That decided it. I left the bathroom in a hurry and got downstairs. I took a piece of toast and smeared it with blueberry jam.

"Damn teenagers! Vandalizing a company like that! It's almost exactly like those punk kids who were against Mother Paula's last year." Ben exclaimed as he flipped a page of the newspaper.

"Now, Ben, you know those children were only protecting the owls."

"Phooey! You don't have to vandalize to make a point!"

"Could I see the article?" I interrupted. Ben shrugged and handed me the page it was on. A half-page colour picture was sprawled across it. It was a new factory, the kind we have back in Canada, and on the wall were the words: Stop polluting our waters you greedy asses!

_Early this morning the police were informed of the defacing of World Salmon Industries, the fish canning factory near the outskirts of Coconut Cove. A message was sprawled in black spray paint across the wall. There have been no comments from the factory on the message._

"_We think this may be the work of a rival fishing company or a hard core environmentalist group. We ask the citizens of Coconut Cove to be on alert," the police chief commented._

_This has not been the first incident. Over the past 3 months, World Salmon Industries has had their truck tires deflated and their fishing boats untied from the marina. There is still no comment on why this could be happening._

I shrugged. Chances were a group of people were just overreacting. Like Roy was over Sky. I mean, is he that dense that he can't tell that if he asked Sky to marry him she'd say yes?

Sky came dancing down the stairs. Speaking of overreactions…

Sky was decked out like she was going on a date. Her hair had been straightened and teased at the top. She wore a denim mini skirt and the cutest army tank top. Her make-up as flawless and when she smiled you could tell she bleached her teeth.

I didn't let out the groan I felt welling up in my throat. She was not going to make my plan easy.

"Hey Beatrice!" I smiled as I walked in step with her to our lockers, which were conveniently beside each other.

"Um, hi," Beatrice answered warily. I couldn't blame her for how she was acting; I would be suspicious too if your enemy's step-sister actually started talking like we were best friends.

"How's everything going back at home?" Beatrice didn't reply. I lowered my voice. "Don't worry. Cody told me about the situation." She glared at me.

"Don't interfere with my family's business. And if you know what's good for you, you'll stop hanging with Mulletfingers." She stormed off. This was going to be harder than I thought. I went to English 20. Special me. I'm so smart I get put in a higher level than everyone else. So bad for my plan.

Next I had Science 10 (mandatory before Biology 20). Roy, Beatrice, and Garret were in my class. Sky had drama. I was partners with Beatrice. Excellent.

I spent the whole class chumming up to her. Though Sky may not realize it, Beatrice is kind, funny, and pretty cool if you ignore the superhuman strength thing. She's just not that nice when it comes to Roy. At lunch she invited me to sit with her and Roy who, a direct quote by her, 'is having a bit of emotional trouble and needs all the support his friends can give him.'

I sat at the table across from the two. Roy looked glumly at the food before him as Beatrice talked animatedly beside him. Laughter. I saw Roy's eyes shift to the table Sky and Garret were sitting at.

"Roy, did something happen between you and Sky?" Beatrice shot a warning look at me.

"Yeah," he mumbled.

"What exactly?"

"She's cheating on me." I giggled a little. Maybe I would have believed that 5 months ago, but not the new Sky. Definitely not with Roy.

"She's looking over here," Beatrice laughed. Then she nudged Roy. "You have to laugh too!" He burst into peals of laughter 3 times higher than they were normally. Man, Sky and him are so weird. Next thing I know Sky is heading our way.

Oh, please, God, don't let her do what I think she's about to do.

She did it. She 'accidentally' threw the food on Beatrice. All the raspberry pie, lasagne, and chocolate milk now covered Beatrice's white soccer shirt. Not the best move. I glared at Sky. She was ruining my master plan!

I spent the rest of the day trying to console Roy and keep Beatrice from pounding Sky. Stupid girl always had to do things her way. So impatient.

"Roy, sit with me on the bus!" I ordered cheerfully. He reluctantly followed me. Being a gentleman, even through his obvious heartbreak, Roy gave me the window seat.

"She's going on a date with Garret tonight. They're going down to a beach." I saw his hands clench. "If you know how to do things right, you'll go down there and tell her you won't stand any crap like cheating. 'Kay?" Roy just stared blankly. I knew he was getting angry, though, since his knuckles were turning extremely white.

Part 1 perfectly executed.

"Sky, that was really low."

"What are you talking about?" she answered innocently. I was so not taking that from her.

"Dumping your food on Beatrice! You do not stoop to their level! You do it better!"

"Thanks for that, oh mighty knowledgeable one!"

"Sky, your acting like it's a girl who backstabbed you. You don't even know why Roy's mad at you!"

"So what!?"

I moaned. This girl sometimes does not listen to reason. "Sky, you must follow the master plan."

"And what is your master plan?"

"I don't have it yet. But I did find out that Roy and Beatrice are going to the beach tonight."

"No way! That skank!" I nodded. She fell for stuff like this so easily.

"Maybe you should go down to the beach and show him what he's missing."

"Good idea. Now I just need to find a guy…"

"Why don't you just accuse him of cheating on you instead? It makes him feel guilty."

"Great idea! This could really be the master plan." How little did she know.

Part 2 of master plan completed.

In the cover of the darkness people pushed something over the edge of their boat.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?"

"Shut up and do your work. We dump this stuff and go. No one sees us, no one knows."

"But I think someone knows!"

"Shut up!"

"Well how do you explain the message?"

"I don't care. Let's just get out of here!"

The boat sped off into the distance. Just then the moon was uncovered by clouds and revealed the name of the boat, _Ye Olde Fisher_.


	12. Listen, Baby, I'm Sorry

**Chapter 12 – Skyler**

"That skanky whore!" Miley screamed from the other line.

"I know! I was going to get Garret to come with me and make Roy jealous, but Lya said I should just go there and tell him off." I explained as I threw different outfits from my closet and onto my bed.

"Who's Garret?"

"Oh, sorry I mean Gordon."

"So when are you going to the beach and break up his little date?"

"In an hour."

"What are you going to wear?"

"I can't find anything!" I groaned as I threw myself on the bed. Where was Lya when you needed her? Oh, right, with MC on the boat. Damn him, I needed her more!

"So then come over! Like right now! I live 5 houses away from yours, come quickly."

"Bye." I hung up, grabbed my white tiny purse and threw my cell phone in it. I swung it over my shoulder and instead of going down the stairs, I threw myself onto the banister and slid down.

"Where are you going?" Ben asked as he stood in front of the door.

"I have to make this guy jealous 'cause he made me cry!" I explained really quickly. I wasn't about to tell my Uncle that this guy was my boyfriend…although he might get mad and encourage me to go.

"Are you going to try and make him cry?" He asked.

"Maybe…"

"Good!" He smiled and opened the door for me. "Come home before 11 this time!" He yelled after me. I smiled and ran down the street all the way over to Miley's house.

"Good, you're here! I already picked out what you should wear, we just need to work on your hair and make-up…and shoes!" Miley hurried me up the stairs, not even caring that her front door was still open. She shoved me up the stairs, down a long hallway and into a room.

She was so different at home! Her walls were white and had a million posters of bands I had never heard of…rock bands! Her bed sheets weren't pink; instead they were black and red. She had two closets. One, on the left side of the room, had pink flowers and butterfly stickers all over it. The Other one on the opposite side of the room had little adorable looking skull stickers on it. She was a completely different person at home than she was at school.

"Stop gawking I know I'm different!" Miley smiled and threw the cloths at me.

"Now that I know you're half emo half prep I want to dress all emo today! Try a different look."

"I'm not friggen emo!! I just like the style…I prefer to be called …normal!!" She threw the clothes back into her drawer and went to her 'emo' drawer and took out the nicest most un-emo clothes ever.

"Here, they're 'un-emo' as you so call it, and preppy, which is what you are." Miley sat down on her bed, cross-legged and waited for my expression. I held up the shirt in the mirror. It was a white v-neck with candy green horizontal lines. It was actually VERY low. Then I noticed a plain white tank top which was obviously supposed to go under it. It wasn't revealing at all.

Then there were the skinny jeans which were a light blue. I ran into the bathroom and tried the cloths on. As soon as I cam back into Miley's room she gasped. "I'm going to make you look beyond gorgeous! You just can't see until I'm done."

"You look amazing! Now, let's fix your hair!" she picked up the curling iron and spun the chair away from the mirror so that I wouldn't be able to see what I looked like. I could tell by the size of the curling iron that she was giving me large/loose curls. She placed the curling iron down and then picked up the eyeliner, mascara, and lip gloss.

"You're not a huge fan of make up are you?" I asked as she worked on my eyes.

"'Seventeen Magazine' clearly states that not only does make up hide your true beauty, also 85 of guys like it better if girls don't wear loads of makeup. So I stick to the basics…stuff that doesn't make you like a complete whore." Miley placed the eye liner down and picked up the mascara.

"Milez…what's with the whole emo thing?"

"My God, it's not emo! Everyone thinks that, I don't cut myself or anything, it's just the clothes! I love the style the colors and everything."

"So then why don't you wear these clothes at school?"

"Because everyone is narrow minded and no one changes labels which is so way beyond stupid! Everyone is so dumb, but whatever, it's ok." She placed down the vanilla lip gloss and spun my chair around so that I was facing the mirror.

I gasped in disbelief! I looked like a completely different person! My hair was all curled and went down two inches so it was resting on my shoulders. I looked more than beautiful! That's it; I was wearing this the next day!

"Thank you!!" I screamed as I jumped out of my seat, grabbed Miley's hands and started jumping around in circles.

"Ok, tomorrow come over to my place so I can give you a make over too!" I squealed as I threw myself onto her bed.

"Oh, it better look good so Gordon will like it!" She said but then as soon as she realized what she said she quickly covered her mouth.

"Excuse me what?" I asked not believing what I heard.

"I know I know, I'm lame, but he's just really funny and cute, and we hung out after school and I think I like him a little bit." She said, blushing a little.

"I think he likes you too. I'll talk to him, don't worry." I stood up and gave Miley another hug and walked out side. I headed over to the beach in the dark. It was only 8 o'clock and it seemed like it was later.

I walked over to a log and sat down. Lya told me he was going to walk by here with that stupid bitch Beatrice. I started kicking the sand with my toes since I took of my shoes. Miley gave me her stilettos to walk in but I just didn't feel like wearing them since I felt so small on the inside.

"You said they'd be here." I looked up and noticed Roy talking on his phone. He suddenly stopped talking and walking and just stared at me. "I have to go…" He said quietly and shut his phone, stuffing it into his hoodie pocket. I bit my lip on the inside as my heart seemed to pounding 100 miles per minute.

He didn't say anything he just sat down on the log beside me. Not close beside me…but beside me. He sighed and then looked up at me. He just stared and didn't say anything then he opened his mouth, but shut it again. He slouched forward, his elbows resting on his knees, and then he looked at the ground again.

I guess it was up to me to make the first move.

"So where's Beatrice?"

"Where's Garret?"

"Garret?" I asked. "Oh…Gordon!"

"Gordon?" Roy seemed really confused.

"Oh yeah, well at lunch Miley, Emily and Janelle were all talking to him and they never got his name right and so they called him Gordon, because they thought that was his name, and so now I have to call him Gordon, because if I don't they won't know who I'm taking about." I said as if Roy and I were the best of friends and not even in a fight. "I mean…yeah Gordon." I said with a bitchy tone that made Roy smile a little.

"So, where is he?" Roy sounded pissed again. Guys are so bipolar!

"At his house, where the hell else?" I snapped. What if Miley was right? Was he actually accusing me of cheating on him…with GARRET??

"Oh, really, so how was your date?"

"What?" I asked. I was completely confused. What the hell was he talking about?

"Yeah, you know the one that you just came from?"

"What the hell are you talking about? I came here to…" I started but stopped. I wasn't about to tell him why I was really there.

"Came here to what?"

"What about Beatrice? Weren't you two supposed to have your own little date tonight? Where is she anyway?" I asked. I felt like kicking something…or someone!

"What? Where'd you get Beatrice from? I came here to–"

"ROY!" I wasn't surprised when a blonde tall girl came running from the bushes. "I finally found you!"

"Where'd Beatrice come from? Right there!" I screamed as I pointed at her. I felt tears running down my cheeks completely ruining my make up which Miley worked so hard on. "You want to know why I friggen came? I was told you were with her and that I should tell you that I knew all about how you're cheating on me." I turned to Beatrice. "You know what you stupid bitch? Have him!" I screamed as I picked up Miley's shoes and walked away from the whole scene.

I still couldn't believe that I had just given him up to her. I felt like dying; I just thought the whole 'Beatrice and Roy dating' thing was just a lie. But it was the truth and I couldn't believe it. I suddenly felt a hand wrap around my wrist which spun me around.

"WHAT!?" I screamed.

"It's not what you think!" Roy protested.

"Oh, really…" I said trying to get my arm out of his grasp. He was too strong so I decided to stop trying.

"Can we just try and talk like normal people?" He asked loosening his grasp on my wrist. I sighed and realized I didn't really have a choice.

"Look, I'm sorry for the whole me getting mad at you thing. You didn't know why and you should know why I acted that way. I overreacted about you and Garret…"

"ME AND GARRET!?!?!?" I yelled.

"Yeah, you guys hugged and I'm just not used to seeing you in another guy's arms. I freaked out because you're everything to me and I just want you all to myself...but not the sick way." He looked down in the sand and I felt really bad about everything…until Ms. Beatrice showed up.

"Roy, what the hell?" She asked coming up behind him.

"Well we're just friends, but in your situation it's a little more than that!" I snapped and tried to break free of his hold on my wrist again. Not working….!!!

"No, it's not like that!" Roy tried to explain. He was getting really desperate for me to just wait and listen. Obviously I would have if Beatrice wasn't there. Then it hit me: this was all a set up done by Lya to get us back together. She probably told him that Garret and I would be there so he would come, and she told me Beatrice and Roy would go there so that I would come. Then we would talk things out…get back together…

"I know what's it like so don't bother explaining." I tried to get out of his grasp again, and yay, it worked. I decided not to run since I did want Roy to try and convince me again. At first he didn't come and I thought I messed this chance up too, but then his hand wrapped around my wrist again and spun me around to face him.

"No, let me! Please!" He begged.

"There's no point! Before she showed up, yes I would have, but there's something you need to know. This was all a set up, Lya said I'd be here with Garret, and she told me you would be here with Beatrice. I believed it and came here to talk to you about it, which is exactly what you did too. When we started talking I came to realize that Beatrice was never there and I started to calm down…start talking about things. But she did show, which means that Lya was either right, or she was wrong and when she hears what happened she'll freak. And I think it's the first one, she was right about her coming here with you." I said calmly as Roy's eyes grew in disbelief. Now he finally saw my perspective of things.

"It's the second one!"

"How do I know for sure?"

"Because if it wasn't, do you really think I would try to convince you this much? Or that I felt like dying and possibly crying when you gave me up to Beatrice?" There was a pause…a long pause…until I finally said something

"I'm sorry!" I yelled. I wrapped my arms around his neck and started crying in his shoulder. I didn't want to let go of him…ever...

"I'm sorry too. I'm so stupid for overreacting."

"Oh yeah!" I said remembering and letting go of him. So much for holding on for ever. "I'm still mad at you for that. Not mad that I won't talk to you, but mad enough." I explained. I crossed my hands over my chest and waited for his reply.

"Ok, so then if you're mad I won't be able to do this." He said as he started playing with my curls.

"And kissing you is completely out of the question!" He smirked and leaned in. I could feel his warm breath on my face. Our lips almost touched and then…

"He's irresistible, up close and personal, now inescapable, I can hardly breathe." Jessica Simpson, Irresistible started playing from my purse. I groaned and Roy smiled as I took out my cell phone.

"What?" I asked after I read the CID.

"Payback…" I heard Lya giggle.

"Are you watching me?" I asked annoyed. I looked around and Roy just looked at me completely confused.

"Nope, Beatrice is, she's really pissed, what did you do?"

"Oh, so you know Beatrice showed up?"

"SHE DID WHAT!?! I though she was just following, not talking and getting in on your 'get back together' scene."

"Well she did, and now Roy and I are done." I lied and Roy raised an eyebrow. 'No' I mouthed to him and he smiled.

"Oh really! Is that why you almost kissed?"

"Damn you!"

"Ok, I'll call again as soon as you two start trying to make out again." I closed the phone and turned it on silent as I threw it inside my purse.

"Lucky she called or I would have kissed you and you would have gotten really mad." Roy smirked.

"Oh shut up! Either way I'd still be mad that you brought Beatrice along! I mean after all I did just spill all of my food on her and she still has the nerve to show up! I mean what the hell? I wish I did come after school to beat her up, then I could have pulled her hair out and maybe—"

I felt his breath on my cheek and felt him lean in closer. I closed my eyes and slowly closed the gap, knowing he was doing the same thing. Our lips touched and again I felt my heart stop and my stomach flip on the inside. I won't go into detail, but this kiss was like none other…even the ones I had with him. So that answers my question: Does a make up kiss feel better than a normal kiss? DEFINITELY!

"Roy…I have to…go." I said between kisses.

"Uh- huh." But he wouldn't let me go, not that I wanted him to, but still.

"Roy…"

"What?"

"I have…to go…now…"

"Ok…" He still didn't stop. I laughed and then pushed him lightly off of me.

"I'll see you tomorrow. Oh, wait I have some really important things to tell you so I'll call you when I get home."

"Can't we just talk here?" He whined.

"No, I have to get home or I'll get grounded again."

"Oh, by the way I love what you did to your whole look."

"Thanks!" I kissed him on the cheek and ran, barefoot, all the way to my house. The whole entire way I couldn't help but be happy at how mad Beatrice must be.


	13. Secrets Revealed

**Chapter 13- Talya**

I fiddled with my cell phone charm. Cody was supposed to text me an hour ago. Normally I wouldn't have thought anything about it, but lately… I shook the thought form my head. Cody's not ignoring me; he's just busy trying to make sure no one discovers him. That's all.

Beep- boop- beep! I started at the sound of my phone.

//hey lya srry got cawt up in stuff//

//so u think its fine not 2 tell me//

//don't b mad I still txtd u//

//an hr l8!//

//lya…//

//I am not overreacting// I heard two more messages arrive on my cell. Why is it that Cody didn't have the decency to tell me why he was late? He already cancelled on me 3 times this week.

"You're the answer to my prayers. You breathe more life in me again. You're my angel, my miracle; you're all I need to know tonight." I smiled as Angel by Lionel Ritchie played from cell. No matter how mad I was that song made me smile.

"Hello?"

"Hey Lya." Cody was speaking really low and in an extremely soft voice.

"What do you want?"

"Please don't be mad at me. I had things to do."

"Stuff you can't even tell me about?"

"I'm protecting you."

"Protecting me by not letting me into your life?"

"Lya…"

"I don't want to hear it! You keep cancelling on me and you won't tell me what's going on!"

"Lya, just meet me at the dock at 1 AM."

"How the hell can I do that and why?"

"Please come." I heard a click as Cody hung up on me. I fought back the tears. I was not about to ruin my new image of me. People in Canada always called me the cry-baby or drama queen.

Sadly I thought back to those memories. Like they would know how much my life sucked before I moved here. In Florida I found everything I ever wanted: a sister, an ocean, and a guy who made me happy. At least, that was what I had.

Finally I couldn't keep the tears in. They kept rolling down my cheeks, like a downpour on a spring day back home. I took my hand and rubbed it against my cheek. No difference.

"Hey Lya! You are not going to believe who likes Gordon- I mean, Garret!" As I heard Skyler prance up the stairs I brushed away my tears with my blanket. No use letting anyone know.

"Who?" I asked as interested as I could manage.

"Miley!"

"No way! Wait a moment, should you be telling me this?"

"Probably not, but you're my sister."

"Step-sister."

"Whatever. I mean, who are you going to tell? MC?"

"Maybe I'll tell Garret."

"You wouldn't dare." I picked up my cell phone and began pressing the number pad. I wasn't actually going to tell Garret, but it's fun watching Sky's face.

"Don't!" she begged. I laughed and put my cell phone away.

"So how did it go with Roy A. Ebberhart?"

"Okay…"

"You totally made-up and made out, didn't you?"

"Yeah!" I giggled. No matter what Sky thought, she was SO predictable.

"So how are you and Cody?" I stopped laughing. I wished Sky hadn't brought it up. Sky must have seen the cloud of worry and sadness on my face. "Did something happen?" she asked carefully.

"Nope! He wants me to meet him at the dock tonight at 1 AM, but I have no idea how to get out without being totally busted."

Skyler smiled. "I have the perfect plan."

At 12:30 I got out of bed. I was wearing a pair if black jeans and a pink sweater. Sky got up beside me. She turned on her bedside lamp and pulled out a make-up kit.

"Is this really necessary?"

"Yes, now be still!"

"He's not even going to see my face in the dark!"

"Fine. Whatever. I'll cover for you then." Sky walked over to Ben and Martha's room.

"Uncle Ben? Aunt Martha?" A groan from Ben. "I heard some noises outside."

"Damn fruit bats!" I heard the bed creak as Ben got up. "Lead the way, Sky." I heard the two walk downstairs and out the front door. Our plan was going well. I crept down the stairs and grabbed the bag I'd prepared earlier. I slipped out the front door, knowing that Sky brought Ben round back.

I hurried along the road. I didn't want to be caught walking at this time of night. Quietly I approached the dock to where Cody kept his boat.

"Hello?" I whispered.

"Lya in here!" I looked up. Cody was in the boat he lived in, not the one he drove. I climbed the ladder and walked down the flight of stairs into the cabin.

Cody sat on his bed looking down at his hands.

"Lya, I have something really important to tell you." Cody sat quietly. I didn't know if he was waiting for me to sit or to speak. Finally he spoke again.

"Lya, there's something I have to do. You might not see me for a while. If-" The words caught in Cody's throat. "If I don't come back, don't think I'm avoiding you."

"Cody what are you talking about? Tell me what's going on!"

"If you don't tell me, we're through! How can I protect you if you won't tell me what's going on?"

"The thing is, Lya, I'm protecting you."

"Whatever. I knew it was a bad idea for me to come here." I turned to go, the tears already forming in the corners of my eyes.

"Lya, please, don't go yet." I hurried up the stairs onto the deck of the ship. The tears were streaming down my face and I couldn't even see where the ladder was. I felt someone grab my shoulders.

"Lya, listen to me." Cody turned me around to face him. I averted my eyes. Whatever he had to say, I didn't want to hear it.

"Lya, no matter what happens; I want you to know I love you." He grabbed my chin and brought his lips to mine. I jerked away.

"Empty words from an empty boy. Don't make me hate you more." I climbed down the ladder in a hurry and as I ran back to my house, just as I turned back I saw Cody, standing on the deck, absolutely alone. And for a moment, I regretted everything I said.

The whole night I lay on my bed and cried. I couldn't believe how cold Cody had been, and how he acted like he was wanted for murder! I felt Sky sit at the edge of my bed.

"Is everything okay?"

"No."

"Did something happen?"

"Yes."

"With Cody?"

"Yes."

"Oh my God! Did you two make out?"

"Not funny."

"Well then, what's wrong?"

"Cody's leaving."

"Leaving? Where the hell can he go? He has no money, no food, barely any clothing. What is he thinking?"

"I don't know."

"I'm going to talk to Roy tomorrow and see if he's heard anything from Cody." I nodded. "You just get some sleep and fake sick tomorrow, 'kay?" I nodded again and closed my eyes. My life always sucked.

"Lya, Lya guess what?" Sky raced up the stairs. I'd spent the whole day sleeping and Sky's voice was giving me a headache.

"What?" I moaned. Whatever it was she had to say, it should better be worth me getting up.

"Cody told Roy and Beatrice he was leaving over the phone last night. He didn't say where, just that he had to go."

"He left because of me."

"No, you idiot! Don't you get it? It's not you! Something's up. Something is making life hard for Cody."

"Whatever." I turned on the radio. It was the end of Sweet Escape by Gwen Stefani.

"So overplayed," muttered Sky. Then the news came on.

"In other news, a new message was left on the wall at _World Salmon Industries_ this morning. Workers came to find 'You killed the mother of a baby. Stop polluting or drastic measures will be taken' written in blue spray paint. A janitor who was working late scared the perpetrator. So far the description is of a boy about 5' 8" who can run extremely fast. Any further leads would be appreciated." When the announcement stopped I ran over to get my jacket.

"Where the hell are you going?"

"I'm apologizing to Cody!"

"You don't even know where the hell he is!"

"Yes, I do!" and with those words I ran out the door into the orange and purple sunset.

I sat at the edge of the dock late into the night. At my feet the boat Cody borrowed from the dock master buoyed up and down in the small swells. I placed one bare foot in the water. The water was cold but felt smooth and cleansing on my skin.

"You shouldn't do that. A shark's favourite time to hunt is at night." I scrambled to get up and face who spoke to me. There on the dock stood Cody, wearing his white shirt and khaki shorts. "I thought you weren't speaking to me again," he whispered softly. I felt a pang of guilt hit my heart. If I had known…

"What are you doing here?" The sharp edge in Cody's voice made me stumble backwards a bit.

"I…I…" I stumbled as I tried to find the right words to say.

"Didn't I tell you that you had to forget about me, that it would be dangerous to stay around me?"

"Cody, I…"

"Forget it. We're nothing. We weren't anything before either. Just a couple of kids who were almost together but blew the chance."

"Cody, listen to me!"

"Whys should I listen to you?! You wouldn't listen to me!" I cringed at the anger and hurt I heard in his voice.

"Cody, I know that you're the one vandalizing _World Salmon Industries_. Why didn't you just tell me?"

"Lya…"

"I mean, I know you have this thing for people who destroy the environment but it's not like saving owls here! What the heck are you trying to get the people there to stop doing? It's not like they're doing something that could endanger anyone who went against them's lives, right?" Cody sat untying the boat without a word. "Cody, are you going to tell me?" Cody took the rope and jumped into the boat. He sat down and turned the ignition on. Just as he was about to go I leaped in and threw my arms around his neck.

"Lya," he said angrily, "get off me! Get away!"

"No!" I cried. "No, Cody, I love you and no matter what you do I want to help you, even if it means I could die." As soon as the words flew out of my mouth I knew they were true. I was in love with Cody and I never wanted to let go.

"D-did you just say you love me?" Cody looked down at me astonished.

"I believe those were the words that came out of my mouth." Cody smiled and lifted my chin.

"I love you, too. Please be my girlfriend."

"So are you going to show me why you're so worried?" Cody nodded.

"Whatever you do keep silent. What I'm going to show you is going to astound you."

Cody pulled up in the little lagoon we were in earlier that month. He motioned to me to be quiet and pointed off in the distance. A boat came near and I could vaguely distinguish two men dumping canisters off the end of the boat. They left almost as soon as they came, not wanting to spend too much time in the area. Once the boat was safely out of hearing distance I turned to Cody.

"What were they doing?"

"That was a fishing boat enlisted to _World Salmon Industries_. They were dumping toxic waste." I gasped. Dumping chum, dangerous but not harmful to the environment; dumping toxic waste, practically suicidal.

"I still don't get your message." Cody's expression turned grim.

"Look." He pointed to our left where there was land. Lying on the shore was the rotting corpse of a manatee.

"Oh my God," I cried out.

"I found it 2 days ago. The baby was still trying to awaken it."

"Where is the baby?"

"One moment." Cody pulled out bundles of seaweed. He splashed them lightly in the water. Soon a medium-sized head popped out of the water and took the seaweed from him.

"The poor thing. How do you know the mother died of poisoning?"

"Beatrice took a sample to a lab. They confirmed it but she lied and said it was for a project so no one knows what's going on."

"'Cept us."

"Basically, yeah." I punched my fist into the air.

"Operation keep care of baby manatee and stop _World Salmon Industries_ is in effect!"


	14. Disturbia

**Hey people, sorry it took so long to update. I've just been so busy, and also my brother wouldn't get off of the computer. Again, I'm SOOOOO SORRY!**

**O and by the way, this story has parts of Disturbia because me and my bets friend just so saw it and I am sooo hooked on it right now! Don't worry there's no spoilers in it…just the stuff in the trailers so you guys can still watch it.**

**Chapter 14 – Skyler**

My head was moving up and down on Roy's chest as we were watching a movie. I could feel my eyes slowly closing because of the rhythmic movements. His hand was around my waist and I felt so comfortable.

"Can you two do that when no one else is in the house?" Lya asked with a disgusted look on her face.

"If we were home alone do you really think we would just sit around?" Roy asked with a smirk on his. I shot him a dirty glare...he dreamed! I got off of him and sat up as Lya threw herself down beside me.

"I won't be home tonight, so can you please cover for me again?" Lya said, not taking her eyes off of the screen.

"Again? You've been gone for a whole week non-stop now!"

"Yeah, what's with that?" Roy asked, taking his eyes off of the screen.

"It's important stuff I need to do, ok?" Lya snapped. Can I say defensive?

"Like?" Roy and I said in unison.

"Something! My goodness you people, just drop it!" She stood up and walked up the stairs. Two seconds later the bedroom door slammed shut.

"What's wrong with her?" Roy asked, placing his arm around my shoulder.

"I'm not sure. Can you stay the night?"

"What?" Roy's eyes grew large.

"Not like that!" I rolled my eyes. "I want to see what she's up to and I want you to come with me. Please?"

"I'll tell my mom I'm sleeping over at Garret's. So yeah, I'll stay."

I placed my head on the bark of a tree and took in deep breaths. Roy and I had to get dressed in all black, sneak out of the house and follow Lya without anyone noticing us. Now Lya had stopped by a small boat and sat down on a large log.

"What is she doing?" Roy whispered so quietly I barley heard a thing he said.

"No idea…" I was still trying to catch my breath from running after Lya. Where had she learned to run so fast? Oh…was it Cody? Yeah, that _had_ to be it!

Suddenly a blonde head popped out from a couple of large bushes beside the log Lya was sitting on.

"Hey Cody!" She said as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Cody?" Roy asked with a confused look on his face.

"Oh…um…" I was trying hard to find a way to keep MC's name undercover. "It's this guy…" I was still trying to finish my sentence when Roy cut in.

"Oh. My. God, is Lya cheating on Mulletfingers??" He almost said out loud. "Hold on, I have to go kick that guy's ass!" He started walking forwards but I pushed him lightly enough so that he rested back against the wall.

My hand still on his chest, stopping him for moving anywhere, I looked over to Lya again. She was now on the boat with MC and they started turning the boat on. We quickly ran over and jumped in. I quickly got under a large black blanket that was lying on the boat. I was hoping that there weren't any bugs on it….

"Um, what was that?" Lya asked.

"Oh, some rock or something…" MC answered. Ha-ha, if they knew…

Their boat finally stopped in the middle of no where. Roy and I looked at each other from under the blanket and I could tell he was thinking the exact same thing. 'What are they doing?!'

"So what should we call our baby?" I heard Lya say. My jaw dropped…she was pregnant?

"We should call it Phil!" MC squalled.

"What kind of a name is Phil? We should call him… Steve!"

"What? It's my baby too! We should call him Cody Jr."

"YOU'RE PRAGNANT!?!?! Oh if it's a girl…call her SKYLER!!" I jumped out and screamed. MC and Lya looked stunned.

"What, no! It's our manatee!" Lya explained quickly.

"What are you guys doing here anyway?" MC asked.

"We're following you because I wanted to know why Lya was leaving all the time," I explained.

Suddenly we heard sirens in the distance that were getting closer and closer to us. I could tell Lya was trying hard not to freak and I was too. Abruptly, Roy picked me up and threw me into the water while MC pushed Lya out. I was about to get back onto the boat and give Roy a backhander since he knows my hair goes all frizzy in the water, but then there was a flashlight shining on the boat.

Lya dunked my head back in the water as she held her breath and followed. Above we heard a police officer talking.

"Hey, John, we caught the vandals!" He yelled and then I saw the boat sink slightly, indicating the fact that someone just jumped in it.

"Hands behind your backs. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say will be used against you in…." The other man, John, started in a bored tone but MC interrupted him.

"You don't understand!"

"What did I just say?"

"You have the right to remain silent?" Roy responded as if it was the stupidest question anyone asked.

"And we don't want that right. We want to talk," MC continued.

"Fine, let me re-phrase it, shut up!" I heard a clicking noise, which I guessed were handcuffs.

"Ok, these are so not necessary!" Roy blurted out and I could tell he was trying to get free from the police officer.

"You just stole a boat and vandalized! I think they are!" The other man said calmly. Then the boat started to rise and I knew that it was abandoned.

"Forget the boat, George, let's get them to their parents, deal with them, and then get the boat back." John said as he started the motor. As soon as he was gone Lya and I jumped back in the boat.

"Cody can't go to jail!" Lya practically screamed. She also started the motor and we were now close to shore.

"He won't! Maybe some community service, but that's about it." I tried to calm her and myself down.

"They think we stole the boat!" She screamed frantically.

"No…they think Roy and MC stole it…besides…we did…"

"We borrowed it! It's not like we're going to run away with it!"

"We'll just have to wait and see how things turn out."

"Ok, that's great. So, aren't you grounded or something?" I asked as I heard about how MC and Roy weren't in trouble with the law, just some community service and a small fine.

"No. Mulletfingers explained everything to my parents so they helped us with the cops. Anyway, guess what? I _just_ saw the trailer for 'Disturbia' and I really want to watch it! Want to come?" He asked form the other line.

"Disturbia? Oh, that looks SO good! For sure!"

"Oh, me too!" Lya yelled form across the room. "Is Cody going?"

"Ok, seriously, who's Cody?"

"Lya, who's Cody?" I asked her, since I couldn't make up anything at the moment.

"Um…" Lya couldn't think either.

"Roy…promise you will NEVER EVER use that name EVER! Or tell him you know his name because of us, ok?"

"Ok…" Roy sounded confused.

"It's Mulletfingers."

"Ok…well, I'll come pick you up tonight at 7."

"Oh. My. God! That guy's staring at me!" I whined as I looked outside the mall parking lot to a man who looked exactly like the murder from Disturbia. His eyes were glued to mine and he was just standing there. I squeezed on Roy's hand and he just started laughing.

"Are you serious Sky?" Roy laughed.

"Hey, I get paranoid easily! So don't even!" My eyes were still glued on the man, and it was as if he didn't know how to blink because not once did he stop staring at me.

"Oh, Roy, you have competition!" MC said as he too noticed the man staring at me.

"Oh my goodness, you people are too paranoid!" Lya and Roy said in unison, both rolling their eyes.

We got into his silver car and started driving. We had all decided that we were going to have a sleepover at Roy's house. I was already thinking about that last sleepover we had there: building forts out of cloths, playing hide and seek in the ravine outside his house, watching movies… oh, so much fun!

We drove up in his drive way and I had already forgot all about the totally intense parts in the movie as I jumped on the front steps of his house. Suddenly there were bright lights which completely blinded MC and me.

The car belonged to the house on the right of Roy's. I could tell Lya could sense something was wrong and then she came slowly behind me.

"That car was behind us the whole entire way." She whispered.

"So? The guy could have just gone and watched the movie too." I tried to calm myself, and her, down.

"Then why isn't that garage door opening, and why isn't he getting inside the house?" Now Roy was behind us and gave us a weird look.

"Um….because no one lives there and the house is on sale?" He said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Hey yeah, I see the 'On Sale' sign!" MC beamed as he too was standing in front of the door. "Shouldn't he get out of the car?" I could tell MC was getting suspicious too.

"Roy…inside…now…please?" I whined, tugging on his sleeve. I was getting even more freaked out. What kind of person parks their car in front of an empty house and then doesn't even get out, just sits there instead…staring…oh my God…was it the same guy!?

Roy opened the door and I ran inside and turned all of the lights on along with the stereo and turned it up, then threw myself on Roy' couch in front of the TV, which I also turned on. Everyone was just staring at me with a questioning look, except Lya.

"When she's paranoid, she thinks someone's watching or stalking and her she doesn't want to hear anything or it will make her jump. For example the night we watched the Ring she turned the music up so loud that the cops came three times."

"So how did she deal with it when her music was gone?"

"She took her I-Pod, hooked it into the stereo, then plugged her ear phones in and turned the music up as high as it would go. She's was deaf for a week." Lya nodded and turned to sit beside me.

"I think this time we actually need to hear what's going on." Lya explained and I turned the stereo and TV off with a trembling hand. I didn't say anything I was still completely freaked out.

"Sky, I don't get what's so freaky! It's just some guy! Ok, so let's say he is stalking us or something. Big deal!" MC tried to calm me down.

"Hello! This is stalking here! We could totally be killed!" I practically yelled. Suddenly there was a loud thump from across the street and I let an ear piecing scream escape my mouth.

"CALM!" Everyone yelled. Roy walked over to the kitchen window and turned all the lights off. I grabbed MC's hand and I could tell Lya was glaring at me. I couldn't help but giggle, but hey, it wasn't my fault Roy was too busy being the hero!

"Roy…is something out there?" MC asked, pretending as if I wasn't even holding his hand. I was still laughing on the inside.

"Come here." He whispered loud enough for all of us to hear. I practically ran over to his side. He placed his hand around my waist and that was when I realized I was trembling. It wasn't just from this, it was also from Disturbia since I still hadn't completely calmed down, and also since we were basically being stalked.

"There's something going on there, and if the movie had a moral, it's 'Every Killer Has To Live Next Door To Someone', and I totally agree! Murderers live beside people, it's not like they live in some abandoned house somewhere. And think about it, what better place to hide a body than in an empty, perfectly normal looking house?" Roy asked as if a dead body in a house beside yours was no dig deal.

"Oh wow, well I think Roy should get the 'So Caring and Best at Making People Feel Better' award!" I said sarcastically as I looked out the window across to the house in front of us. There was another loud sound form the house.

"We _have_ to go there!" Lya declared.

"Oh, and you are SO the best sister and friend anyone could ever ask for!" I was getting so annoyed.

"I try!" She beamed just like MC had! Their like twins or something… oh wait…no, that's just wrong!

Suddenly, I was being pulled across the house and out the back door. Bye-bye happy sleepover idea, hello possibility of a dead body!

We walked across Roy's lawn and over a small fence separating the two houses. We found the back door of the house opened and a tiny light flickering inside. I knew it wasn't a candle because if that fell, the whole house would burn down in two seconds.

We crept around the house and through a couple of doors until we saw huge barrels all lined up in a row, there had to be more than 20.

"I hear footsteps." I almost had to read Lya's lips to understand what she was saying. We all stopped walking and then saw a place where we could hide behind. We all tried hard not to breathe very loudly and try to figure out where the footsteps where. I didn't feel very safe, seeing where I was standing.

Not only was I in a house with a stalker and maybe a murderer, but I was also behind everyone and there was nothing hiding me or protecting me.

Scenario: What if the guy came up from behind me, covered my mouth and held me in place so I wouldn't be able to move? What if I was thrown into a room and the door got locked behind the guy and I was stuck there? What if no one even noticed where I was? What if they left and never realized I was missing?

Because, that's exactly what happened.


	15. Blood, Sweat, and Tears

**Chapter 15- Talya**

Carefully we rose from our hiding spot and looked out over the barrels we were hiding by. I glanced around.

"Coast's clear guys." Quietly we picked our way through the barrels lined on either side of us. Finally we reached the door we'd come through. Roy led us back to his house. As soon as we were through the back door he turned on the light in the living room.

"Damn that was scary!" I breathed as I sunk into the nearest chair.

"I knew that they were dumping toxic waste! Assholes are killing everything," Cody muttered.

"What are they making anyway that they're producing toxic waste?" I asked.

Cody pulled out a report. "This," he said angrily, "is the formula for their new boat fuel meant to make fishing boats go faster. The chemicals needed produce a dangerous by-product. Since this is to harmful to produce, _Salmon World Industries_ is dumping the waste because in the ocean it's 'out of sight, out of mind!'" I reached out and placed my shivering hand on his arm. It hurt me too to see people doing something so cruel to the environment.

"By the way," I started as I thought back to when we'd turned off all the lights, "why was Skyler holding onto you?" Cody turned bright red.

"Excuse me, what?" Roy almost shouted.

"Look, you two, it was nothing. Skyler was scared. Right, Skyler?" He turned around. Roy and I looked around. Where was Skyler?

"Uh, Sky? This ain't funny," I called tentatively.

"Sky, sweetie, it's Roy. Those people aren't going to come into my house."

"Skyler," I practically shouted, "if you don't come out now and explain why you were holding my boyfriend's hand I will beat you so bad that no plastic surgeon in the world could ever repair your face!" Cody snickered, but quickly stopped when we heard no answer.

Roy walked to the front window and pulled aside the curtain. "Oh, shit."

"What is it?" I asked as I stood up to join him. I glanced through the window. In the other house there was a light on and I could just make out two shadows in the window. "Please tell me she did not get lost."

Cody came up behind me and whispered, "I don't think she got lost; I think she got kidnapped."

"Great, of all the people he had to kidnap the guy takes Skyler. The girl doesn't know self-defence!" I groaned.

"We'll just have to go and save her," Roy announced. I was so not liking him playing the hero.

"Roy's right. Let's go." The guys headed out of the house. I moaned and followed. No one ever thought I was scared since I had my own weird way of dealing with things. Like laughing instead of screaming or being totally calm when I'm totally panicking. I am not wired right.

I hurried to catch up with the guys who were already at the front door of the house. Roy turned the brass doorknob slowly. It was unlocked. Just as Cody was about to enter I grabbed his arm.

"The guy knows we're coming right? What if this is a trick?" The guys nodded and backed up. I picked up the nearest object that could substitute as a weapon. It happened to be a board with a nail in it. Perfect. I rushed into the room and looked around. The room was completely empty.

"I guess he's not here." Cody walked up to the nearest barrel and pried open the lid. A horrid acidic stench wafted out. The liquid inside was black with a greenish hue.

"Dude, close that!" Roy hissed. Cody snapped the lid shut. I wandered forward. The walls of the main floor had been torn down to create a large space. I looked around until I came to a flight of stairs that led to the upper floor. Carefully I walked up them.

When I put my foot down on the third step it led out a long creak. I stood motionless and strained to hear any sound such as footsteps or a voice. Nothing. Slowly I let the breath I'd been holding out and continued upwards.

A long dim hallway stretched before me. There were five doors on either side. Ten in all. I opened the door on my right. The room was small and lit by a single light bulb that illuminated a bunch of moth-eaten coats. Gently I pushed at them with my board. Once I was satisfied that there was no one lurking in it I headed further down the hall.

The door on my left opened up to a completely bare room. Cobwebs hugged the corners and dust scattered as I entered. Carefully I pulled aside the gauze curtain. Outside I could see the front of Roy's house. That narrowed the rooms down. There were only four left that Skyler could be in. I exited the room leaving a trail of footprints behind me.

The next room was a bathroom that had been unused for so long that the water in the toilet tank had dried up. (I know it's weird, but I checked for guns in there when I noticed the toilet bowl was empty.)

The next room I entered was completely dark. I went in warily, holding my board ready to strike. No moonlight filtered in through a window and when I tried the light switch no lights came on.

"Skyler?" I called quietly. A groan answered my call.

I rushed in feeling the chair Sky was in.

"Sky! Thank goodness!" I went to the hallway. "Guys, I found her!" The guys came running from downstairs. "What the heck were you doing down there?" Roy and Cody looked at each other. Cody held up a tiny bottle.

"Evidence." I looked at the little phial.

"You know, if you were gay, I'd be a little upset but I wouldn't really mind." Cody let out a strangled sound. Roy narrowed his eyes at me.

"Where's my girlfriend?"

"In here." I led them into the room. Roy pushed the chair into the patch of light from the hallway.

Sky had a deep purple mark on the side of her head. Blood oozed from a gash on her arm. When she saw us her eyes practically rolled into her head.

"Sky! Listen to my voice. Stay awake. You can't risk having a concussion," Roy said urgently. Cody peeled the duct tape off her mouth. Skyler let out a gasp and slumped in her chair. Roy shook her awake.

I bent onto the ground and used the nail to cut through the rope binding Sky to the chair. When she was free Roy gathered her in his arms and carried her down the stairs. I led the way holding my board as if it were a holy sword.

Finally we were back at Roy's house. I let out a gasp and fell onto a heap on the floor crying. Roy went to the kitchen to gather medical supplies. I cried into Sky's shirt.

"I'm sorry, Sky. I'm so sorry. I should've been smarter. We shouldn't have gone in." Cody came behind me and wrapped his arms around my shoulders. Suddenly I felt a cold touch on my arm. I looked at Sky. She was smiling.

"Lya, who're you kidding? You're the smartest person I know. If we hadn't gone we wouldn't have had any proof that…that…that that company was poisoning your world," Cody whispered in my ear. I laughed and felt the tears roll down my cheeks.

Roy came back in. "Hold her head up," he ordered. I placed Sky's head on my lap. Roy applied a cream to the bruise on Sky's head and wrapped a light bandage around it. Next he put Polisporin on her cut and wrapped it tightly with a cloth bandage. Sky sighed.

"Any better?" Roy asked softly. Sky nodded.

"You should rest Skyler. You can tell us what happened later." Roy and Cody carried Sky upstairs. I wiped at my tear-stained face and got up from the floor. Trembling I went outside down to the beach outside of Roy's house.

The sand felt cool between my toes. The steady sound of the waves crashing down on the beach calmed me, made me feel peaceful. I walked towards the edge of the beach where the water lapped at my feet. Slowly I sunk to the ground. I stared out at the moon's reflection on the water. I heard a slight thump as Cody sat beside me.

"It really wasn't your fault Lya. It could've been any of us." I nodded but didn't say a word. I heard Cody sigh. "When will you ever forgive yourself?"

"When _World Salmon Industries _is punished."

"And have undergone the wrath of God," Cody joked. I didn't laugh. "Lya, please try not to be down about it, okay? Roy let Sky come too and he's taking it hard. We should be there for them."

"You know there probably making out."

"C'mon Lya, Sky just had an accident."

"You really think that would stop her from 'being with her precious Roy'?" Cody laughed and placed an arm around my waist. I put my head on his shoulder and stared out at the waves.

"I love you," I whispered. Cody glanced at me in surprise. Then his face softened.

"I love you, too."


	16. Betrayal

**Chapter 16 – Skyler**

I groaned as I turned over on Roy's huge bed. I kept closing my eyes and then snapping them open, hoping that everything was all a horrible dream.

"I'm drunk," I whispered, trying to convince myself that it all didn't happen, that Ben and Martha wouldn't have to pay for therapy.

"What?" Roy asked stunned. "No you're not. You're not an alcoholic. I don't think you've ever touched alcohol before," Roy explained, still stunned that I said that.

I rolled my eyes. He was so pro at making me feel better. I tried to sit up in the bed but as soon as I lifted my head off of the pillow I yelped and let it fall back down. So this was what a hangover was like, except better.

"Sky, I am so sorry!" Roy practically whispered. "You should rest, try at least, and then tell us what happened yesterday." He kissed my forehead then walked out of the room, closing the door lightly. I tried to stand up again and this time I felt a little more stable. I looked in the mirror and gasped at my own refection.

My hair was all greasy looking and tangled and I bet if I was to brush it right now the brush would have gotten stuck in it. I had a black eye and bruises all over my arms along with rope burns. I looked like I had just got beaten up…oh wait…never mind. Still…it looked worse than all of those movies…

I groaned and walked back to the bed, picking up Roy's I-Pod. I turned it on and started listening to "Missing" by Evanescence. I kept hearing the line 'Isn't something missing, Isn't someone missing me?' The more I heard the chorus the more I got angry.

They left me behind! They didn't bother to check twice and when they got home, how long did it take them to realize I was missing! I couldn't bring myself to be mad at Roy; after all he was basically in tears when I got in the room. I couldn't be mad at Lya either; she did blame herself for everything that happened to me after all. MC on the other hand didn't seem to care very much about me… I fell asleep with that thought and it was all my dreams would play in my mind.

* * *

"What happened?" Lya asked as eagerly as I was as we all got seated on the large couch downstairs. She had helped me cover up the bruises with a long sleeve shirt, skinny jeans, a new hairstyle, and a ton of make-up.

I took in a deep breath. This would be my fifth time reliving the story. I had dreamt about it four times and now I had to explain it again.

"Ok, what do you want to know? After you left me, or before?"

"Both!"Lya responded. It was just me and her in the room. I could only trust her with the real story, and I needed her advice on it.

"Ok, so when we were hiding this is what happened…"

* * *

I was standing behind them all, feeling completely unsafe. A million things were running through my head, was I safe? Would I get kidnapped? Would I die? (Oh, I am so pessimistic!)

Suddenly I felt a slight breeze coming from behind me. I was sure it was just since the door was open or because someone in front of me moved.

"Ok, no one's coming. Let's go before something happens." I heard Roy say. Lya started moving slowly in front of me, and as soon as I was about to move, a hand covered my mouth. My mind completely shut down but after a second it told me to scream.

I tried that, but to no avail. I was desperately kicking and throwing my arms all over the place and if Lya was a centimeter closer to me I could have hit her and she would have seen me. She felt the small breeze and bent down to brush off her leg, never looking behind her.

I had one idea left and I was hoping it would work. I bit his hand as hard as I could and he swore, letting go of me. I turned and kicked him as hard as I could in the shins and ran as fast as I could. I was outside and I was sure he wasn't going to come after me; that he had given up.

As soon as I reached the fence separating the two houses, I suddenly came crashing down. At first I thought I tripped over something but then a second later, I felt something weighing more than 200 pounds crush my bone structure.

"Trying to escape?" A hoarse whisper came from above me. If I would have heard that voice on TV I would have seriously thought it wasn't human. I closed my eyes and started thinking about the latest murder show I just watched. I clearly remembered one of the CSI people saying "some murderers and attackers feel empowered from seeing their victims pleading and suffering."

I snapped my eyes back open and I was going to do _just_ that. I wasn't going to scream (since no one could hear me either, so it wasn't that dumb.), not answer any of his questions, not plead, and especially not cry.

He picked me up over his shoulder and walked into the house again. He threw me onto the floor.

"If you try to escape I _will_ kill you." I shrugged. I just sat there emotionless, although on the inside I was exploding with a million different emotions. The man seemed to get angrier at the fact that I didn't care, thank you CSI!

As soon as he left the room I looked over to the door. It was wide open and I could see Lya laughing inside with Roy and MC. They either didn't notice or didn't care. I wished I could believe the second point, but I couldn't. The lights were on and everyone was just sitting there and talking. I could tell none of them were asking: "Hey, where's Sky?" or "Has anyone seen Sky?"

I decided to mix up all of my emotions together in a huge bowl in my mind and create the perfect emotion: none!

**Ingredients:  
**5 ½ cups of joy or anything happy --- times spent with Roy, my friends, my family.  
10 spoons of anger --- how no one noticed/cared where I was.  
7 tsp. of laughter ---everyone's face when they realize I'm missing.  
5 cups of sadness --- how I'm helplessly stuck in a room and can leave at any moment but am choosing not to.  
1 tsp. of pity ---the reason why this guy needs to hurt people in order to make himself happy  
6 ½ cups of jealousy ---Roy, MC, and Lya aren't going to be murdered/raped/ beaten or have mental and physical scars.  
10 cups of fear ---What's going to happen next?

**Direction:**  
1. Mix all happy ingredients in one bowl (joy, laughter, pity)  
2. Mix all bad ingredients in another bowl (anger, sadness, jealousy, fear)  
3. Pour in the happy bowl into the sad bowl.  
4. Mix well.  
5. Drink, and then feel nothing.

Note: in order for the drink to work, you must add all emotions!

The man came back into the room and I was sure my imaginary drink was taking effect. He sat down beside me, but I knew it wasn't the same guy. The first guy was chubby and bald and had a horrible voice. This guy had long black bangs, grass green eyes and a lip piercing. He also looked my age. It must have been then guy's son.

"Why are you here?" His voice made me melt and in my mind the drink lost all effect. I hadn't added one emotion: surprise. I didn't want to speak, but my mouth just started moving on its own. At first the words wouldn't come out, which I was truly grateful for, but then they did.

"Reasons." Thank God I didn't reveal anything stupid about myself!

"Is it anything specific, or just 'cause?" He spoke to me as if we had been friends forever. Like he was the best friend I lacked and needed: one who would never judge me, one who would be my walking-talking diary. Lya wasn't that: she was little Miss Bipolar who loved me one second and yelled at me the next, not that I didn't love her with all my heart, but still!

His green eyes were fixed on mine and I wasn't sure if they were pure or if they were just like the chubby bastard's eyes, the one that threw me to the floor and probably disfigured my bones.

"Is he related to you?"

"Yeah." He looked to the floor, as if he was completely embarrassed that he was related to man like him.

"He was following me so I went to check it out," I said casually. "Where is he now?" I could tell he noticed me tense up a little, as much as I was trying to hide it.

"He's…doing…um…something." He was looking around the room, as if it would talk to him mentally and give him answers.

"What's going to happen to me?" He looked at me and his calm peaceful look in his eyes faded and was replaced by a look of regret.

"You might die, you might not. He'll probably beat you, then ask you questions, beat you up some more, then leave you there to die. It's what happened to all of my other friends. That's why I try not to get attached to anyone." His eyes never left mine and I was drowning in them, forgetting all about Roy.

"I didn't do anything though!" I tried hard not to yell and loose all self control.

"I know, but there's absolutely nothing you can do to convince him not to hurt you." He shrugged. "Look, if it makes you feel any better my dad killed my best friend because he found out about the secret." He tried to smile reassuringly.

I suddenly burst out laughing. How could I be laughing at a time like this? I had absolutely no idea, but I was. "And that's supposed to make me feel better?" I said, still giggling.

"Ok, so maybe that didn't exactly work, but maybe this will." He stopped smiling and leaned in towards me. My smile faded as I felt his breath on my nose. A million voices were screaming in my mind.

Lya: "What the hell are you doing? I thought you loved Roy!!!"

MC: "I can't believe you! I never thought I would ever think of you this way, but you're a whore!"

Beatrice: "So I was right, you never loved Roy, he was just a toy. Maybe to get back at me from the first day of school?"

Roy: "You cheated on me, and all I ever did was love you!"

Family: "Skyler, you really have disappointed us! What happened to never betraying anyone you love?"

Me: "I will never live this down…the title of a complete slut!"

But as much as I wanted to listen to all those voices screaming at me, the steady warm, calming breathing on my face silenced all of them. He closed his green eyes and our lips met. It was as if an arrow that was on fire just shot through my whole entire body. I wanted to pull away so badly, but I just couldn't, I was stuck there and I didn't hate it either.

Suddenly the door leading to another room slammed shut. The boy pulled away from me and stood up quickly.

"Casey, what the hell are you doing!?" The man screamed as Casey started to have panic written all over his face.

"N-N-Nothing…" He stuttered.

"Get the hell out then!" He screamed. Casey looked at me one last time with the most pleading for forgiveness look that I had ever seen.

The man grabbed my arm and picked me up. He threw me against the wall, and I slid down it, quietly. I wasn't about to cry in pain or do anything. I was barley paying attention to what was happening to me. I just felt pain a couple of times, then blood, then more pain. I wasn't too sure who the blood belonged to and I wasn't about to care.

I had just betrayed the one person who would have died and killed for me with a guy who I didn't even know. It didn't matter much to me how I was going to die, as long as I was going to die. The guilt was growing in me, since I never even actually tried to pull away.

I felt myself being thrown down on a chair and I heard a very aggravated voice come from beside me.

"Why aren't you screaming, or crying, or pleading?" He asked as he walked around the chair. Then I realized he was tying a rope around the chair.

"Because I want to die, so please just do me a favour and do so." I requested. I licked my top lip and tasted something metallic. I looked down at my hands and I noticed they were covered with blood also.

"You didn't see anything, so why should I?"

"Well for one, I know what you look like, and I know your son's name, and I _also_ know that you killed people."

"And who will believe you?"

"My friends."

"The one you betrayed with my son who you've known for a minute?" He sat down in front of me, grinning as if it was the funniest thing in the world. "Won't they think you're trying to cover it all up because you made out with a stranger?"

"And if I leave that part out?"

"Well, then there has to a million Casey's living here."

"Everyone looks different."

"So you're saying I can't change the way he looks? His eye color, his hair, his clothes, his style?"

"There's something about him you can never change."

"Yeah? What's that?"

"His personality. His background. Look for a guy with the sweetest personality and a dad who wants to kill anyone, including the one person he claims he loves." As soon as I finished my sentence he went into hysterics. He slapped me as hard he could, sending the chair backwards and creating a cut across my face along with a bruise.

I closed my eyes slowly as I felt duct tape being wrapped around my mouth. I would just have to wait until someone realized I was gone, or until I died of thirst or hunger.

"We're moving houses, so no one will hear you or find out that you're dying in here. Have fun on hell you betraying whore." He slammed the door shut behind him and then slowly everything went black.

* * *

I looked over at Lya. Her mouth was open in shock. Crap. 


	17. A Speech and a Secret

**Chapter 17- Talya**

"Oh. My. God. You slut." I couldn't help myself. The words flew out of my mouth faster then I could think.

"Lya! I thought you would understand!" Sky was on the point of tears. I hadn't meant to hurt her feelings.

"I'm sorry, Sky, but even you must admit that that was slutty."

"I guess." She looked down at the ground. I knew she felt guilty about betraying Roy, but I also knew she was thinking back to the kiss.

"Sky, I need you to be honest with me. How do you feel when you see what's-his-face?"

"Casey? Well, I…uh…my heart starts pounding really fast like it's going to jump out of my ribcage. When he kissed me it felt like I was melting." I was quiet for a moment. I knew Sky was getting anxious but I had to have time to think!

"Sky, I'm so sorry."

"Um, about what?"

"I never told you about… this."

"About what?" Sky demanded.

I took her hands. "Sky, for girls there will always be one guy who makes your heart jump and your stomach flip. That's chemistry. The other guy, the one you love, is the one who makes you feel safe and warm."

"How will I be able to tell the difference?" she asked quietly.

"You'll know."

"Why do you know all this anyway?" I looked at Sky sharply. She had asked me the wrong question. Luckily the guys came down the stairs. I jumped off the couch and flung my arms around Cody's neck.

"Morning," I mumbled into his shirt. Cody was warm and I could hear his heart through his shirt. He smelled like watermelon. Probably used Roy's Herbal Essences shampoo. Guys are so girly.

"Morning gorgeous," he replied cheerfully, "Want to go see what Roy's mom cooked us?"

In the kitchen were four plates of food. Everyone sat in a random seat except for me. Roy's' mom always made me toast with Nutella and peppermint tea. I didn't really like pancakes or eggs and bacon. The seat faced the window. In the distance I could hear the ocean waves.

"So what're we doing today?" Cody asked stuffing a whole pancake in his mouth. I leaned over with a napkin and wiped the syrup off his face.

"First we teach you how to eat. Then we prove _World Salmon Industries _is polluting the water. And at the end of the day you might get a kiss."

"Might?"

"Okay, you know you'll get a kiss anyway."

"Score!" Cody's fist shot in the air.

"Dude, you're so whipped," laughed Roy.

"What's wrong with being whipped anyway?" asked Cody. We all sat thoughtfully for a while.

"I guess it makes the guy look emasculated," Sky put forth. I looked at her.

"When did you learn such a big word?"

"Don't make fun of me!" Sky whined. I laughed and took a sip of my tea. My smile was hiding something though: my anxiety to reveal the toxic waste secret and…

"Uh, Lya? Didn't you hear me?" Sky waved her hand in front of my face.

"What?" I had not been listening.

"We're going now. To, y'know, rally the troops or whatever."

"Right. Rally troops. Gotcha." Sky gave me a weird look as we walked out of the house and piled into Roy's car. It was a Porsche Cayman. Damn, I wish I had a dad who was filthy stinkin' rich!

Sky sat in the front seat next to Roy while I sat in the back snuggling against Cody. For a moment I closed my eyes and forgot everything. _World Salmon Industries_, Sky's slut problem, what happened between…

The car jolted forward.

"What was that?" I nearly screamed.

"Sorry," Roy mumbled, "I kind of misused the clutch." I glared at him. Happy feelings gone.

"Learn to drive."

Cody looked at me strangely.

"What?" I asked him, annoyed.

"Are you okay, Lya? You're acting all weird."

Sky turned to face us in her seat. "Don't worry; it's just PMS." I threw my purse at her.

"Nothing's _wrong_. I'm okay, guys. Really, I'm fine." The rest of the car ride we sat in silence.

After what felt like ages on a bumpy car ride we reached Garret's house. Seriously, his house needed to be repainted. It was yellow and had paint peeling off its walls. Toys lay in the front yard and a tiny dog was barking loudly at one.

"Quiet Jogie!" called Garret from inside. He came out holding a wet dish in one hand and a little boy in the other. The little boy had slightly curly blonde hair and was sucking his thumb while looking at us with his big blue eyes. I swear Sky and I let out an awww.

"Sorry 'bout this guys. I have to keep care of Jamie so he's going to be coming with us.

"That's okay," I smiled. Jamie took his thumb out of his mouth and waved at us. "Do you want to come with me while your big brother gets your car seat installed?" Jamie looked up at his older brother.

"Go on, Jamie. Lya could be an angel that's how much I trust her." Jamie looked at his brother once more before running across the lawn to me.

"Angel?" He asked quietly.

'No," I answered, "Just Lya." I'm no angel.

* * *

The town square was full of people. There were probably 5 different TV stations there. Adults and children had all come wondering what the big announcement was. A police car stood idly by, just in case this turned into a riot.

"You ready, Lya?" Cody squeezed my hand.

"Yeah," I whispered, taking strength from his warmth, "I'm ready. By the way, do we even have 5 TV stations in Coconut Grove?" Cody shook his head and pointed at Garret who was talking to one of the cameramen as we spoke. Sky and Roy were holding on to Jamie's hands. I took a breath and headed to the platform and microphone that Beatrice had set up with the sports teams and hour earlier. When I reached there and took the microphone, I saw the crowd ripple as it wondered why a child was taking center-stage.

"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming to this meeting. I would like to bring forth and important matter that most of you are unaware of but could deeply affect us." The crowd stood silently wondering what on Earth I could be talking about.

"_World Salmon Industries_ is polluting our environment. I don't know for how long and how much, but I do know they are and they plan to keep doing it. They are creating a chemical used for more efficient gasoline. Oh yay, we think, they're helping the environment, but it's only a front. In truth the chemical has a serious biohazard as its by-product. Goons or thugs or whatever they are have been dumping the barrels into a lagoon not far from town. Already the fish species are declining. Just a week or two ago my friend and I found a dead manatee and its orphaned baby-"

"This is an outrage!" cried a voice near the front. A large burly man with a ginger moustache and no hair took the microphone from my hands.

"Hey, give that back!" I protested. The man glared at me.

"As the representative for _World Salmon Industries_ here in Coconut Grove, I must speak out against this slander. We are trying to make the world a better place, not destroy it." He turned to me and frowned. "Little girl, go home to your parents. I am sure you will be reprimanded for such outrageous imaginations." The crowd had begun filtering away.

"Wait! Please don't go!" I shouted, "I didn't imagine it! You're killing the animals! You're killing Cody Jr.!" The crowd trickled away and I felt the hot tears prickle my face as they ran down my cheeks. I ran off the stage into the waiting arms of Cody.

"Why won't they believe me?" I cried, "Why can't they for once believe a teenager?"

"Sh," soothed Cody, "It'll all be alright." Just as I lifted my head from Cody's shirt to give him a kiss I saw a boy about 6 feet tall walking towards us.

"Lya?" he called carefully. The colour drained from my face. Sky looked at him closely.

"Who are you? How do you know-" Sky looked from the boy to me to back to the boy. "Oh. My. God," she breathed as she realized who he was.

I stepped away from Cody and toward the blond haired blue-eyed boy standing in front of me. "Max?"


	18. Confrontations

**Chapter 18 – Skyler**

"Max?" Lya asked, walking towards the guy. MC didn't turn around like I would have expected. Instead he just stood there, probably too stunned at the fact that his girlfriend just left him hanging for another guy.

"MC, let's go." I rushed towards him, grabbed his hand and tried pulling him away from the two. Roy was just as stunned as MC was.

"Hey guys, what's going-" Garret said cheerfully as he made his way towards us, Jamie following.

"Yeah, Lya, what's going on?" MC asked (not so cheerfully) shaking me off and walking towards his girlfriend.

"Yeah, Lya, what's going on?" Max asked, with the same expression as MC's.

"SHUT UP!" Lya and I screamed at Max in unison.

"Yo, little kid!" Garret pointed out. I spun around, about to yell at him too, when I noticed little Jamie hiding behind Garret. I glared at Garret and made my way over to Jamie.

"Jamie, sweetie, there's a bit of a problem here which will probably lead to me, Lya, MC, and Max all yelling at each other and probably beating each other up too, and I don't want you to get scared. Basically there will be a lot of blood and swears and yelling and screaming and maybe some crying, and …" I said in an extremely sweet voice.

"Sky, I think you're already scaring him." Roy said as he came over to us. "Jamie, I want you to take Garret home. Can you do that?" Jamie nodded. He turned around, grabbed Garret's hand and started running.

"Nooo!! I wanted to watch!!!" Garret whined as he was being dragged by his little brother. I would have been on the floor laughing if it wasn't for that fact that there was going to be extreme drama happening in only a minute, maybe less.

"Lya…" MC asked and I could tell he was trying to keep from jumping to conclusions and yelling.

"Oh, oh, can I tell the story!?" I asked acting like a little 6 year old.

"Fine…" Lya groaned as she rolled her eyes. I smiled and started explaining.

"So one day when we were all young and innocent…"

"Get on with it." MC snarled. I turned to face him and glared at him.

"Anyway, in spite of MC I'm going to go into EXTREME detail to piss him off! So one day, Lya was wearing a purple dress and black shoes. She went to the bathroom to fix her hair and when she got out of the door she stepped out with her right foot, followed by her left, then by her right again, then by…"

"SKYLER!" Lya yelled while Max was smiling in the back.

"Correction, Lya was wearing a periwinkle dress with sparkling black shoes." Max beamed from behind her, with a cocky tone in his voice.

"Ok, basically, it was love at first sight. Like the thing people see in movies. So they were all hanging out and what not and then one day, Max leaned in and kissed her. Not all intense and hot and steamy like now, but like little six year olds would….Wait, hold on… I think…I don't know… I mean… ANYWAY, so a week later Lya comes crying her tiny once innocent eyes out."

"What exactly do you mean by innocent?" MC asked and I knew exactly what he was thinking.

"Not like that you pervert! God, you people relate everything to sex don't you!? I mean like, well now she's all whore-y, and besides she did cheat and break promises. I'll get to that later, hold on. Ok, so Lya comes crying her eyes out and I asked her what was wrong and she said Max was leaving to who knows where. Anyway, he asked her to never forget him and that when he would get back they would always be together."

"And now I'm back." Max smiled and walked over to Lya.

"It's different. Things change. We were young then and well I've…"

"Become a promise breaking, backstabbing whore?" I beamed. Lya turned around and I was sure I would totally need to get plastic surgery if we were left in a room all alone. "Sorry, payback from this morning." I shrugged.

"This morning? What happened this morning?" Roy asked giving me a questioning look.

"Nothing…I um…was…um…hold on I have to think of something good." I lifted my eyes to the right with a thinking look that most people thought was actually a day dreaming look. "Oh, wait, this isn't about me, it's about Lya."

"Thanks, you truly are the best sister anyone could ever have!" Lya said sarcastically.

"Anyway… yeah, Lya, why have things changed?" Max asked taking another step forward.

"Just 'cause…" Lya responded, looking to the ground, ashamed.

"'Cause what?" MC asked with a pissed of tone. I could tell he was as angry as he was confused.

"Look Cody, I don't want to start anything with you two. Stuff was in the past and I guess I haven't exactly recovered and well… I don't know…" Lya tried to explain, but to no avail.

"What exactly do you mean you don't know?" Cody asked, his voice rising. I could tell things were getting pretty intense and if I had a bowl of popcorn and this wasn't my sister/best friend I would be enjoying this to the fullest.

"Really dramatic girl stuff, probably." Roy said, shaking his head as if knowing exactly what Lya was going through.

"Yes, Roy, that's _exactly_ what it is!" Lya responded sarcastically.

"Oh really? 'Cause I was just guessing!" Roy almost leaped for joy at his own smarts.

"I was being sarcastic!" I could tell Lya was trying hard not to snap at all three of them. Oh, if Garret was here she would have been screaming at him too, even if he hadn't done anything wrong.

"Oh…" Roy looked at the ground, as if ashamed.

"Awe, sweetie don't worry, girls are extremely complex. For example there's a _really_ complicated equation of how girls are evil. Ok I'll tell you. So basically first we realize that girls require time and money. Girls time x money. As we all know "time is money." Time Money. Therefore: girls money x money money squared. And because money is the root of all evil: Square Root of Money Evil. Therefore Girls Evil." I pointed out.

"And that has what to do with my problem?" Max asked raising his eyebrow, completely bursting my bubble.

"Well it just proves that…Lya is evil…and please don't ask what that has to do with anything and how that even relates the tiniest bit, just shut up and let me have my moment." As soon as I stopped talking everyone was just staring at me and I started taking in deep breaths. I stretched my hands over my head and then snapped my eyes back open as my arms came down. "Ok, I'm done, back to the problem."

"What are you on?" Max asked with the most concerned tone I have ever heard.

"Why?" I asked with the meanest tone I could manage.

"Because I need to buy myself some of that."

"Ok, basically you drink A LOT of Sprite and eat gummy-bears, you wait two minutes then you stuff your face with gummy bears and then chug another can of sprite, then find some dramatic situation, and try to make it better but instead make it worse!" I said proudly with a huge smile on my face.

"Um…no, you drink one and a half cans, not two, two will just make you Skyler squared, and no one other than Roy wants that." MC said, snapping out of his whole 'hating random people' phase.

"Oh, I know someone else." Lya declared with a smirk. Images of Casey filled my mind. I knew she was trying to get people on my case and off of hers.

"Oh, really?" Roy asked, raising his eyebrow.

"Ha ha, yeah me! I love myself!" I replied quickly hugging my sides.

"Ok, I actually think you drank 2 cans, instead of one and a half…" Max stated. I turned around and glared at him.

"Seriously, Sky, what's going on?" Roy asked more concerned then I would have expected.

"And I have heard that phrase, how many times?" I acted as if Roy's question didn't matter.

"Um…about…4 times!" Lya nodded after she finished counting.

"Seriously people, stop kidding around I need this whole thing with Lya figured out…now!" Max suddenly burst.

"You're the one who's trying to be funny!" MC stated.

"Well I kind of have to because you're all pissed off all the time. Seriously Lya, if you're trying to tell me that you're leaving me for a stupid blonde kid like this one who is obviously way too poor to even afford shoes, then I don't know what the hell has gotten into you."

At this MC just snapped. I mean, I thought he wouldn't take it like that since a lot of people made comments and said stuff, but now it had just gotten to him. Maybe it was also because they were fighting over a girl, but if snap at anything, don't snap over shoes!

Cody's arm flung forward to hit Max in the face, but he ducked. Can I say experience? How many people tried to beat this kid up? It takes skill to duck like that…makes you wonder… MC tried again but missed. Max didn't seem to get mad, he was practically laughing. He lunged towards Cody and body checked him to the ground.

"CODY!" Lya screamed and tried to run towards him but someone grabbed her hand. She spun around only to meet warm eyes smiling down on her.

"Couldn't resist, had to come enjoy the show!" Garret explained as he let go of her arm.

"DON'T JUST STAND AROUND! DO SOMETHING!" She yelled while turning around to the two people she loved, watching them fight over …her or shoes? They were rolling around on the ground, none of them making a sound. Everything was quiet except for Lya who couldn't do anything. She was just yelling at us while we stood there watching.

After a while it kind of got boring, just watching them rolling around, both as strong as the other. And also Lya was getting tiered of yelling and standing, so we all sat down and just watched. Roy finally stood up and grabbed whoever was on top of the other one. Turns out it was Cody. Max got up and didn't bother to continue the fight, while MC was struggling in Roy's grasp to get out and keep fighting.

"Lya, we need to sort thing out, now!" I said as I grabbed her hand and followed Max as he was walking through the trees.

"Some friends you are! God, you could have helped me like an hour ago when we started fighting, instead of sitting there enjoying it!" I heard MC complain to his friends.

"Ha ha, sorry man!" Roy laughed as he patted his best friend on the back.

Lya and I kept following Max through the small ravine until we reached a clearing. Max spun around and the shock on his face was quickly replaced by a huge smirk. I felt like punching him the face! He was so cocky; I didn't even understand why Lya liked this guy so much.

"So, Lya, what are you doing here?"

"I have to figure things out, and we need to talk." Her eyes were on him, and as soon as he took a step forward they fell to the ground.

"The past?"

"The present?"

"The future!?" I beamed and then realizing I totally broke a moment of reconciliation. They seemed to ignore me and now Lya and Max took a step towards each other.

"What happened?" She asked. They were pretty close now. If Max were to lean in a centimeter, his lips would be on Lya's. Not that I had a problem with that except for that fact that he was a player, a manipulator, and Lya had Cody.

"Everything went downhill from the moment I thought I lost you." He leaned in and their lips locked. Lya's eyes closed shut and Max's arms were now starting to wrap themselves around her waist.

"Well you didn't lose her, but she did lose someone else." I spun around only to see a head of blonde hair coming from behind a tree. Beatrice stood there smirking at us.


	19. Sweet Mistakes

**Chapter 19- Talya**

"Beatrice! Wait!" I called but she was already off through the trees. I made to go after her but Max grabbed my arm.

"Lya, baby, that guy wasn't good enough for you." I smacked him. Hard.

"Don't talk about Cody like that!" In surprise Max dropped my arm and I ran to try to catch up with Beatrice.

_Please,_ I begged God, _Please don't let Cody hate me. I love him. Truly._

I ran into the clearing where we had left Roy, Cody and Garret. As I came up to them Cody got up and Garret glanced nervously at the ground.

"W-why did he walk away?" I asked nervously, afraid of the answer.

"Um…" Roy began.

"How could you Lya? The guy's in town a minute and you're already cheating behind Cody's back?" That answered all my questions. I broke down in tears and collapsed on the ground.

"It's your own fault you know," Roy said as I sobbed into my knees.

"No, no it's not! I don't love Max! He kissed me out of no where!"

"Beatrice said you kissed back."

"I did not! Ever since you started going out with Sky she's been trying to ruin my life! She thinks I'm not 'good' enough or something." The guys stayed quiet. "Always, always when I'm happy, when I think I'm almost in paradise, something ruins it all."

I heard wheezing as Sky came out of the woods. Did I mention we weren't the most athletic people in the world?

"L-Lya, thank God I found you. Did you-" Sky stopped talking when she saw my tear-streaked face.

"Oh no. No, not again."

"Again?" Roy asked.

"Well, every guy she was with after Max was either cheating on her, abusing her, or using her to get to, um, me."

"That's not the worst of it!" I howled, "Max cheated on me with all my best friends! Moving to Germany my ass; he just didn't want to see me anymore!"

"How'd you find that out?"

"You go to parties, you know some people, bound for her to see him some place," Sky filled in.

I began to hiccup, "And now I-I might n-not be able t-to be w-with C-C-Cody!" Sky wrapped her arms around my shoulders.

"Sh, I'm sure he'll understand!"

"How can you know that? What if he can't even look at me anymore? What if he finds a new girlfriend?"

"I doubt MC will give up that easily."

"You'd be surprised." I looked up to see Beatrice smirking at us. She came out of the shadows. "Sure, he never gives up when it comes to saving the world, but girls? Never really had a knack for them." She laughed and walked away.

"See why she's a bitch?" Sky said. Roy nodded mutely. "C'mon Lya, let's go home."

* * *

I couldn't go to school the next day. I couldn't face all the criticism for the failed exposition, let alone the rumours Beatrice was going to spread.

Sky came home as quickly as she could. "You're lucky Beatrice wants to hide the fact that MC is in Coconut Grove or you'd be the slut of the school." I smiled slightly.

"Good thing I didn't take your position."

"Shut up. Oh, and Max is in our classes. _All_ of them." I groaned. Great, a stalker ex who never even wanted me in the first place. Just what I needed.

"I have to get some air." I wandered around for a while. I walked through the place where I first met Cody, down to the docks where we first kissed, finally ending up at his boat. I sighed. The lights were on but I didn't dare go in. I turned and saw Cody staring at me.

"I, uh…" Cody walked past me. "Cody, can we talk?" Cody turned from climbing the ladder.

"About what?"

"I'm sorry about what happened today, but-"

"I'm sorry, too." Cody climbed up the ladder into the boat. Fresh tears sprang into my eyes.

"I'm sorry, Cody. Please, forgive me." Then the world went black.

"Lya! Lya, wake up!" I opened my eyes slowly and saw Cody's blue eyes staring back at me.

"Cody? You're speaking to me again? Is this a dream?"

Cody laughed. "No, this isn't a dream."

"Then why am I here?"

"You fainted. I saw it from my cabin."

"And you helped me?" Cody's eyes turned dark. "I would've done the same for anyone." Cody got up and turned towards the table were he had a meagre dinner laid out.

"Cody, please, Beatrice didn't tell you the truth." Cody didn't say a word. "Or at least not the whole truth. Max kissed me. Not the other way around. I love you, only you."

"I can't trust you. For all I know you're covering."

"I know," I answered quietly. Cody slammed his hand against the wall.

"Goddammit!"

"Cody?" His shoulders shook against the wall. "Cody, is everything alright?" I tried to get out of the bed but it hurt my head. I must have banged it against something. Cody turned towards me. Tears were running down his face.

"Why is this so hard?"

"I don't know," I sighed, "It just is." Cody sat at the end of the bed.

"I know I should be mad at you, but all I feel is hatred for him. No matter how hard I try to hate you, I still love you."

"Please, Cody, you have to understand. A long time ago, Max hurt me a lot. I don't want to do the same thing for you. You have to understand that I would never leave you. Ever."

"Never is a really long time." I lifted a hand to touch his.

"Forever is too, and that's how much I love you." I smiled weakly. Cody smiled and then shook his head.

"I'm stupid. I'm sorry. I should've known you wouldn't do that."

"It's okay. Relationships don't go perfectly. We just gotta work through our problems."

"Yeah," Cody leaned over me and I could smell the sea salt on him. When his lips finally met mine I distinctly tasted salt and bananas. When he pulled me in I melted into his body. The warmth and safety made me forget what had happened. The only thing that mattered was how much I loved Cody.


	20. Love Is

Chapter 20 – Skyler

**Chapter 20 – Skyler**

I gasped for air as my eyes snapped open. Darkness surrounded me and I could make out the sounds of someone quietly breathing beside me. I turned on my side and saw the covers slowly rising and then descending. I forcefully blinked my eyes and tried to focus on who was laying beside me.

I saw black hair and a bare and built back move under the dark blue covers. Wait, dark blue covers? I always had some pastel colors on my bed, never dark blue. The covers shifted and I met a pair of magnificent blue eyes that stared deep into mine.

"Hey, you alright? I thought I heard you wake up." Roy asked. I could hear care on every word he spoke.

"I'm fine." I smiled. "I have a really weird question for you."

"Yeah?" He asked, propping himself up on his elbow.

"Was I ever kidnapped by your crazy neighbour?" It sure felt like a dream; a really messed up dream that never seemed to stop. I hoped it was a dream since everything that had happened was beyond terrible.

"Um, no… the people next door are like eighty and over." Roy replied, his eyebrows rose in a quizzical way. I couldn't help but let out a huge sigh of relief. "Why?" He asked slowly.

"Really bad dream! And at one point I even woke up in it and you were there and I told you I was dreaming and you said no, so I was confused. But yeah, no worries, just one of those dreams no one would ever want to experience." I smiled reassuringly.

"Do you want to tell me what happened?"

"Can I just tell you in the morning? You might get mad." I replied. What boyfriend wouldn't be mad if he found out his girlfriend had a dream about making out with some other guy?

"It's just a dream, it can't be _that_ bad. Besides, dreams are just things that your mind relates from events that you saw during the day or week or whatever." Roy explained.

"So let's say that you had a dream about your dad being gay. You wouldn't think over it for like a second?"

"Oh my God! That's sick! No!" Roy made a disgusted face which spread a large smile across my face.

"Alright fine, let's say you had a dream about your mom cheating on your dad. Would you give it a second thought?"

"Well yeah, I'd think about it for like a second. But I know that my mom is still in love with my dad and my dad is still crazy about my mom and the chances of that happening are so slim. They would never do that to each other. Anyway, are you going to tell me?"

Regaining confidence I explained the dream to him. I explained about going into his neighbour's house, finding the evidence that was later moved, about Max and Cody (although that was completely irrelevant), and about making out with Casey. I bit my lip as I waited for him to reply.

"So you cheated on me." He said slowly after a pause.

"Yeah but you came and rescued me out of the house and everything, and it was all good. And then you took care of me and I regretted it for every second of my dream!" I quickly added.

"Did you ever tell me?" Roy didn't take it like he said he would.

"No…" I slowly replied. At this Roy smiled in disbelief and turned on his other side, not facing me. _You have got to be kidding me! Is this kid serious?_ "Roy you said it yourself! It didn't happen!"

He didn't reply and I rolled my eyes. He was acting like such a drama queen! If I had actually cheated on him then it would have been fine for him to act like that, but it was just a dream!

"Fine I'm going to go home since you're too nice to tell me to get out of your bed." I pulled the covers off of my body and I regretted doing that. The covers had been so warm compared to the room.

I stood up and sighed. I knew I had to say something since my heart couldn't let me leave him without another word.

"Just to let you know, I would _never_ cheat on you, _ever_! I thought you knew how much you meant to me, but I guess you don't. So let me make this clear now, you mean the whole world to me, Roy. Well you, Cody and Lya. And I want you to know, that although my personality says different I have never loved another guy before you. Actually, I never really believed in love seeing how things went over with my mom and dad. That wasn't love, what we have is love. Love is when you can have arguments once in a while and put them aside and learn from them. That's what I believe we have and I couldn't be happier. With my mom and dad it was argument after argument and it was always about the same thing. That's not love. Love teaches you to get over things, put them in the past, just because of the feelings you have for the other person. I wouldn't want anyone else but you. Roy, I didn't even believe in forever, but I found forever in you. And if in my dream I didn't tell you I cheated on you it was probably because I couldn't stand loosing you in a dream, let alone real life." I nodded as I finished my speech.

I slowly turned around and just as I was about to step away from the bed a strong hand wrapped itself gently around my wrist. Roy spun me around and pulled me on top of him. My eyes grew slightly with surprise. _He gets over his little fits pretty fast._

"I couldn't imagine losing you either." Roy whispered as he placed his lips onto mine. His hands moved from my back and into my hair, gently playing with the long strands of brown hair.

"You're such a drama queen, you know that?" I smiled as soon as we broke off from a long and passionate kiss.

"You imagine me making out with some whore down the street." I laughed and kissed him again. I could feel his tongue running along my bottom lip and I parted my lips father. He gently pushed me over and I rolled onto my back, allowing him to be on top, his knees on both sides of my hips.

Suddenly the bedroom door snapped open. "Sweetie I heard –" Roy and I quickly broke apart, our heads turning in the direction of the female voice. Roy's mother was standing in the doorway, her jaw dropped and her eyes were larger than I thought was possible.

Roy quickly rolled off of me and I immediately stood up. Just then I remembered Roy wasn't wearing a shirt. Imagine how that must've looked to his mother. I hung my head low not wanting to make the slightest eye contact with her.

"Do you want me to use the window? 'Cause I can use the window." I thought it was polite to ask.

"Door." She managed to say. I don't know if it was because she was so angry or so shocked.

I quickly walked past her and into the hallway where I saw Roy's father walking towards Roy's room. He stopped. _Damn._ He must've heard his wife not finish her sentence and had come to check it out.

"Hello." He greeted confusion in his tone.

"Hi." I said with a smile that read 'O-dear-God-I-am-beyond-screwed'.

"Nice weather we're having." I decided to say after a pause in which he didn't take his eyes off of me for even a split second. He gave me the strangest look which made me wish I had just used the damn window. "I'm going to go now." I quickly replied pointing to the front door which seemed miles away.

"Yeah." I heard him say as I ran down the stairs, skipping one or more every time.

I reached my house in only five minutes seeing as how I was running as if I were being chased by a million dogs. I stood below my bedroom window and started throwing rocks at it. Who knew you had to use so much force to get the rock so high up? Soon Lya stood before the window, slowly opening it. _Hurry up!_

"Sky, what the hell are you doing down there?" Her eyes were barely opened.

"Did you not notice me not being in the room? Like didn't you wonder for a second why you didn't hear the phone vibrate or anything?" I loudly whispered. The only thing that would make this even worse was if Uncle Ben opened his window at that moment.

"Um…no? I'll go open the front door." She said rubbing her eyes. I walked over to the front door where it opened slowly. I sneaked in through the crack in the door that Lya had opened without making any noise and quietly ran up the stairs.

"So where were you?" Lya asked as she slid into her bed again.

"Roy's house where I had a messed up dream about how Max came back and I cheated on Roy and it was terrible. And I told him and he got mad at me so I made this super long speech about how much I love him and then we made out and his mom walked in."

"His mom walked in!?" Her eyes grew as large as Roy's mom's had.

"Yeah I know! And then his dad saw me walking out the house. And I asked his mom if she'd like me to use the window and then I told his dad we were having great weather!" Lya started laughing and I let my head fall onto my pillow. Talk about first impressions.

"But yeah, Roy can be such a drama queen sometimes. It was just a dream and he ignored me for two whole minutes!"

"Oh wow, two minutes! But I think I know why."

"Yeah? Why?"

"Well the whole thing with me, Cody and Max did happen."

"What the hell? How is that possible?"

"You were there, retard! How do you not remember?"

"Just like this!" I retorted.

"Well you probably remember seeing it and then dreamt about it and the mixed up Disturbia with the Life of Skyler and the Life of Talya." Lya explained.

"That makes sense. Well it was retarded none the less. But you know what's more retarded?"

"You?" Lya interrupted.

"No, shut up!" I threw my pillow at her, nailing her right in the face. "Me meeting Roy's parents!"

"Yeah but it includes you, so basically just you." Lya smiled.

I was about to throw something else at her when my phone started vibrating on my night table.

"And that's how we know that Skyler is home!" Lya kept smiling as I picked up my phone.

"Oh my God, Roy just texted me! I though his parents would murder him!"

"What did he say, what did he say?" Lya eagerly asked.

"I'm beyond screwed!"

"What did he say?"

"They want to have me for dinner!" I almost yelled.


End file.
